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Congressional Space Medal of Honor


 

Congressional Space Medal of Honor

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor has only been awarded to a very select group of astronauts. Despite the medal's name, the President awards this medal based upon recommendations from the NASA Administrator. Congress authorized the 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 Armstrong                      10/1/78                        Jimmy Carter

 Frank Borman                          10/1/78                       Jimmy Carter

 Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr.        10/1/78                      Jimmy Carter

 John H. Glenn, Jr.                     10/1/78                      Jimmy Carter

 Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom*          10/1/78                    Jimmy Carter

 Alan B. Shepard                       10/1/78                      Jimmy Carter

 John W. Young                        5/19/81                        Ronald Reagan

 Thomas P. Stafford                   1/19/93                        George Bush

 James A. Lovell                        7/26/95                        Bill Clinton

 Shannon W. Lucid                    12/2/96                        Bill Clinton

 Roger B. Chaffee*                      12/17/97                      Bill Clinton

 Edward H. White, II*                 12/17/97                      Bill Clinton

 William M. Shepherd                1/15/03                        George W. Bush

 Rick D. Husband*                      2/3/2004                      George W. Bush         

 William C. McCool *                 2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 Michael P. Anderson*                2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 Kalpana Chawla*                       2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 David M. Brown*                      2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 Laurel B. Clark*                         2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 Ilan Ramon *                              2/3/2004                      George W. Bush

 Francis R. (Dick) Scobee*         7/23/04                        George W. Bush

Michael J. Smith*                       7/23/04                        George W. Bush

 Judith A. Resnik *                      7/23/04                        George W. Bush

 Ronald E. McNair *                   7/23/04                        George W. Bush

 Ellison S. Onizuka*                     7/23/04                        George W. Bush

 Gregory B. Jarvis*                      7/23/04                        George W. Bush

 Sharon Christa McAuliffe*          7/23/04                      George W. Bush

 Robert L. Crippen                    4/26/06                         George W. Bush

 

*Awarded posthumously

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