ARTEMIS II CREW TO RECEIVE THE STEPHEN HAWKING MEDAL

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen honoured for inspiring millions through their outstanding communication of the science, technology and human adventure of Artemis II

On October 17^th, The Artemis II crew will receive the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication at STARMUS VIII in Tenerife, recognising their exceptional work in inspiring millions around the world through interviews, social media, educational outreach and direct engagement with the public.

CANARY ISLANDS, Spain, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- STARMUS today announces that the four members of the Artemis II crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen — have been selected to receive the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication.

Before, during and after Artemis II, the four astronauts became powerful ambassadors for science and space exploration. Through interviews, social media, live communications, educational initiatives and public appearances, they brought the science and technology behind an extraordinarily complex mission closer to millions of people around the world.

Their communication went far beyond explaining the technical milestones of Artemis II. They shared the human experience of science and exploration — the preparation, challenges, risks, teamwork, international cooperation and sense of discovery behind a mission that opened a new chapter in humanity's exploration of the Moon.

In doing so, they helped audiences understand not only what Artemis II was doing, but why it mattered.

Most importantly, they inspired people — particularly younger generations — to engage with science, engineering, technology and space exploration, demonstrating the extraordinary power of communication to turn a scientific mission into a shared human experience.

The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication was launched in 2016 by Stephen Hawking and STARMUS to recognise those who make an exceptional contribution to bringing science, exploration and the wonder of the Universe closer to society.

The Artemis II crew joins an exceptional group of 2026 Stephen Hawking Medal recipients. This year, STARMUS has also announced legendary filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott.

The 2026 awards have particular significance as STARMUS celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Stephen Hawking Medal.

Previous recipients include some of the world's most influential figures in science, exploration and culture, among them Buzz Aldrin, Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, Christopher Nolan, Hans Zimmer, Elon Musk, Brian Eno and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

From Apollo to Artemis

The recognition of the Artemis II crew continues a remarkable connection between STARMUS and human space exploration that began with the very first festival 15 years ago.

Over the years, nine Apollo astronauts have taken part in STARMUS, including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 8 astronauts Bill Anders and Jim Lovell, alongside legendary cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. They came to STARMUS not simply as pioneers of exploration, but to share their experiences, discoveries and vision directly with the public. Aldrin and Leonov returned to STARMUS several times in the years that followed.

Leonov held a particularly special place in the STARMUS family. In 1965, he became the first human being to walk in space, opening an entirely new chapter in human space exploration.

Fifteen years after STARMUS first brought together some of the pioneers of the Apollo era and the first spacewalk, the festival now welcomes the generation carrying human exploration back towards the Moon.

With Artemis II, that story enters a new generation.

A Medal that brings together science, space, art and music

The Stephen Hawking Medal itself embodies the philosophy of STARMUS.

Its design brings together some of the people and ideas at the heart of the festival: Stephen Hawking, Alexei Leonov and Brian May. It incorporates Leonov's artistic depiction of Stephen Hawking and imagery connected with Brian May's legendary Red Special guitar, bringing together science, human space exploration, art and music in a single object.

The presence of Leonov in the Medal's design has a particularly powerful meaning. The man who became the first person to walk in space also used his talent as an artist to portray Stephen Hawking — and that image became part of a Medal devoted to communicating science to humanity.

The result is more than an award. It is a symbol of the idea on which STARMUS was founded: that science should not remain within laboratories, universities or spacecraft. It should be communicated, shared and made part of human culture.

That same philosophy now connects the pioneers of Apollo and Leonov's generation with the astronauts of Artemis II.

"They brought millions of people with them"

Prof. Garik Israelian, astrophysicist and Co-Founder of STARMUS, said:

"Artemis II was an extraordinary scientific and technological mission, but this Medal recognises something different: the crew's exceptional ability to communicate that adventure and inspire millions. They did not simply travel around the Moon — they brought millions of people with them. That is exactly the spirit of the Stephen Hawking Medal."

Sir Brian May, astrophysicist, musician and Co-Founder of STARMUS, said, "It's a special thrill for us at Starmus to be able to honor the intrepid Artemis II crew members in the same in the same way that we honored the Apollo astronauts who paved the way to the Moon over 50 years ago."

Four astronauts, four voices

Each member of the Artemis II crew brought a distinctive voice to communicating the mission.

Reid Wiseman, Commander of Artemis II, communicated the mission with clarity, authenticity and a strong sense of purpose, helping audiences understand not only what the crew was doing, but why humanity continues to explore.

Victor Glover, pilot, brought a deeply human dimension to the story of Artemis II, connecting the science and technology of the mission with teamwork, trust, curiosity and courage, and communicating directly with audiences in an accessible and engaging way.

Christina Koch, mission specialist, is an engineer, scientist and astronaut, helped communicate both the scientific significance and the human experience of deep-space exploration, bringing audiences closer to the realities and possibilities of humanity's return to the Moon.

Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist, communicated Artemis II with clarity, humility and enthusiasm, bringing an international perspective to the mission and highlighting how science and exploration can unite people and nations around common goals.

Together, the four astronauts gave Artemis II a powerful human voice and helped make one of the most complex scientific and technological endeavors of our time accessible to a global audience.

OMEGA and the Stephen Hawking Medal

OMEGA has been a long-standing collaborator of STARMUS and the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, sharing a unique connection with the history of human space exploration.

The OMEGA Speedmaster was officially qualified by NASA for crewed space missions in 1965 and went on to become inseparable from the history of lunar exploration and the Apollo programme.

As part of its collaboration with STARMUS, the company has created an inscribed special OMEGA Speedmaster referring to the Stephen Hawking Medal recognition of the crew of Artemis II. This further highlights the symbolic connection between the pioneers of the Apollo era, the legacy of Stephen Hawking and a new generation of explorers and science communicators.

For the Artemis II crew, that connection carries a particularly special meaning. The Stephen Hawking Medal and the OMEGA Speedmaster bring together two extraordinary legacies associated with humanity's exploration of space — one celebrating the power to communicate science, and the other carrying a history intimately connected with humanity's journeys beyond Earth.

The Medal Ceremony at STARMUS VIII

The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication will be presented during the opening of STARMUS VIII — The Search for Truth on 17 October 2026 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands.

The ceremony will bring together leading scientists, astronauts, Nobel laureates, artists and cultural figures from around the world, followed by a spectacular concert featuring Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman and Brian May, performing with the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra and an international house band.

The evening will also feature special guest appearances by legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman and violinist Rusanda Panfili, bringing together science, space exploration and music in the tradition that has defined STARMUS since its creation.

STARMUS VIII will take place in Tenerife and La Palma from 17–22 October 2026 under the theme The Search for Truth, bringing together some of the world's leading figures in science, space exploration, technology, music and the arts to explore the importance of evidence, knowledge, reason and scientific thinking in an increasingly complex world.

US: Dan DuPont, [email protected], +1 202 380 7558

UK/EU: Nicole Ettinger, [email protected], +44 7515 39407

Spain: Carlos Esteban, [email protected], +34 69955 2854; Pablo Mate Sanllorente, [email protected], +34 656 53 7287