Former NASA astronauts to receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Vice President Kamala Harris will current the Congressional House Medal of Honor to 2 former NASA astronauts in a White Home ceremony Tuesday, in keeping with a White Home official and NASA.

Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken will probably be awarded for his or her “for bravery in NASA’s SpaceX Demonstration Mission-2 (Demo-2) to the Worldwide House Station in 2020,” NASA mentioned in a information launch. The ceremony will mark the primary Congressional House Medal of Honors awarded since 2006.

The pair piloted the primary crewed launch for SpaceX as a part of NASA’s inaugural Industrial Crew Mission to the Worldwide House Station in 2020 – the primary astronauts to launch to orbit from the US in almost a decade. 5 crewed missions have been launched to the ISS carrying 13 American and seven worldwide astronauts for the reason that 2020 launch, in keeping with the White Home official.

Hurley, who served within the Marines, and Behnken, who served within the Air Pressure, had been each army check pilots earlier than they joined NASA in 2000. The house company has a protracted historical past of choosing check pilots, who spend tons of of hours flying round in experimental supersonic plane, to be astronauts.

The award acknowledges “any astronaut who within the efficiency of his duties has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the nation and mankind.” It has been awarded to twenty-eight individuals, together with 17 posthumously, because it was licensed by Congress in 1969, in keeping with the White Home official.

Harris, who chairs the Nationwide House Council as a part of her portfolio, will current the award in a ceremony from the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Government Workplace Constructing Tuesday afternoon.