The Artemis II astronauts have received the Stephen Hawking Medal for bringing their mission to the public through live communications, interviews and photographs. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen accepted the honour at Starmus in Tenerife on October 17. Christina Koch was absent from the ceremony but shares the team’s recognition.
The Artemis II crew has received the Stephen Hawking Medal for science communication. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover joined Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to accept it at the opening of Starmus VIII, a science and arts festival. The ceremony took place on October 17 in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. Their NASA crewmate Christina Koch was absent but shares the honour.[1], [2]
The crew’s contribution included live communications, interviews, photographs and glimpses of everyday life aboard the spacecraft. These activities opened aspects of the complex space mission to public audiences. At the ceremony, Wiseman described his feelings on looking back at the small Earth from far away. The medal recognizes the astronauts’ communication work, rather than reporting a new scientific measurement from the mission.[1]
Stephen Hawking and Starmus established the medal in 2016 to honour efforts to make science accessible, engaging and inspiring. Previous recipients include Buzz Aldrin, David Attenborough, Jane Goodall and Neil deGrasse Tyson. This year marks its tenth anniversary. The festival runs from October 17 to 22 across Tenerife and La Palma, bringing together scientists, artists and musicians.[1]
