Artemis II Crew to Receive Congressional Gold Medals: Public Bronze Replicas Authorized for Sale

The Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act officially recognizes the crew of the first mission to travel beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years. The bill directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award gold medals to Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. These medals commemorate the mission's record-breaking distance of 252,756 miles from Earth and its role in capturing the first high-definition lunar imagery in half a century. Beyond the gold originals, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to strike and sell bronze duplicates to the public, with the price set to cover all production costs, including materials and overhead.

A New Chapter for the History Books

This legislation isn't just about handing out trophies; it’s a formal acknowledgment of a massive shift in space exploration. For the first time, a mission beyond low Earth orbit included a person of color (Victor Glover), a woman (Christina Koch), and a non-U.S. citizen (Jeremy Hansen). The bill specifically highlights these milestones alongside the technical achievements, like the first ship-to-ship voice call between a lunar mission and the International Space Station. For those of us watching from home, it marks the moment deep-space travel moved from the history books of the 1970s into the modern era, setting the stage for future Mars missions and permanent lunar bases.

From the Mint to Your Mantle

If you aren't an astronaut but still want a piece of the history, Section 4 of the bill has you covered. It allows the U.S. Mint to produce bronze replicas that anyone can buy. The law requires the Mint to price these duplicates so they pay for themselves, ensuring that taxpayers aren't footing the bill for the collectibles. These replicas are legally classified as "numismatic items," meaning they are official U.S. government medals intended for collectors. The proceeds from these sales go back into the Mint’s Public Enterprise Fund to keep their operations running.

Recognizing the Team Behind the Tech

While the four astronauts get the gold, the bill’s text makes a point to document the historic "firsts" of the support staff in the findings section. It recognizes Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the first woman in that role for a crewed deep-space mission, as well as the first female chief training officer and the first science officers in Mission Control. By documenting these names in the legislative record, the bill ensures that the diverse team of engineers and flight controllers who managed the Orion spacecraft’s life support and navigation systems are credited alongside the crew who flew the mission.