The Congressional Space Medal of Honor has only been awarded to a very select group of astronauts. Despite the medal’s name, the U.S. President awards this medal based upon recommendations from the NASA Administrator. Congress authorized the President to “award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of appropriate design, which shall be known as the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, to any astronaut who in the performance of his duties has distinguished himself by exceptionalIy meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and of mankind.”
For more background information on this prestigious award, see the relevant section of the public law and of the Code of Federal Regulations.
List of Awardees
| Astronaut | Date | President |
|---|---|---|
| Neil A. Armstrong | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| Frank Borman | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr. | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| John H. Glenn, Jr. | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom* | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| Alan B. Shepard | October 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| John W. Young | May 19, 1981 | Ronald Reagan |
| Thomas P. Stafford | January 19, 1993 | George H. W. Bush |
| James A. Lovell | July 26, 1995 | Bill Clinton |
| Shannon W. Lucid | December 2, 1996 | Bill Clinton |
| Roger B. Chaffee* | December 17, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
| Edward H. White, II* | December 17, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
| William M. Shepherd | January 15, 2003 | George W. Bush |
| Rick D. Husband* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| William C. McCool* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Michael P. Anderson* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Kalpana Chawla* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| David M. Brown* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Laurel B. Clark* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Ilan Ramon* | February 3, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Francis R. (Dick) Scobee* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Michael J. Smith* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Judith A. Resnik* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Ronald E. McNair* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Ellison S. Onizuka* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Gregory B. Jarvis* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Sharon Christa McAuliffe* | July 23, 2004 | George W. Bush |
| Robert L. Crippen | April 26, 2006 | George W. Bush |
| Douglas G. Hurley | January 31, 2023 | Joe Biden |
| Robert L. Behnken | January 31, 2023 | Joe Biden |
*Awarded posthumously
