Congressional Space Medal of Honor
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The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was authorized by the United States Congress in 1969 to recognize "any astronaut who in the performance of his duties has distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and mankind." It is awarded by the President on recommendations from the NASA Administrator. The award is a separate decoration from the Medal of Honor, which is a military award for extreme bravery and gallantry in combat.
Although the Congressional Space Medal of Honor is a civilian award of the United States government, it is authorized as a military decoration for display on U.S. military uniforms due to the prestige of the decoration. In such cases, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor is worn as a ribbon following all United States Armed Forces decorations.
To be awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, an astronaut must perform feats of extraordinary accomplishment while participating in actual space flight under the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Typically, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor is awarded for scientific discoveries or actions of tremendous benefit to mankind. The decoration may also be awarded for extreme bravery during a space emergency or in preventing a major space disaster. The Congressional Space Medal of Honor may also be presented posthumously to those astronauts who died in the line of duty while performing a United States space mission.
[edit] Recipients
As of 2006, 28 astronauts have been honored with the award, which is presented by the President of the United States in Congress's name.
- 1978 Neil Armstrong - Commander 1st Moon landing
- 1978 Frank Borman - Commander 1st Moon orbit
- 1978 Charles "Pete" Conrad - Commander 1st Skylab crew
- 1978 John Glenn - 1st American in orbit
- 1978 Virgil "Gus" Grissom (posthumous) - Commander 1st Gemini & Apollo 1
- 1978 Alan Shepard - 1st American in Space
- 1981 John W. Young - Commander 1st Shuttle flight
- 1993 Thomas P. Stafford - Saved Apollo-Soyuz Test Project US crew from fuel intoxication
- 1995 James Lovell - Commander Apollo 13
- 1996 Shannon Lucid - longest duration stay in space by a woman
- 1997 Roger Chaffee (posthumous) - Apollo 1
- 1997 Edward White (posthumous) - Apollo 1 & First American EVA
- 2003 William Shepherd - Commander 1st ISS crew
- 2004 Dick Scobee (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Michael Smith (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Judith Resnik (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Ellison Onizuka (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Ronald McNair (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Greg Jarvis (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Christa McAuliffe (posthumous) - Challenger
- 2004 Rick Husband (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 Willie McCool (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 Michael P. Anderson (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 Kalpana Chawla (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 David M. Brown (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 Laurel B. Clark (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2004 Ilan Ramon (posthumous) - Columbia
- 2006 Robert Crippen - Pilot 1st Shuttle flight
