Celebrating Excellence in Science Communication

While the crew of the Artemis II mission journeyed hundreds of thousands of miles toward the moon, they ensured that the global public remained connected to their incredible voyage. In recognition of their outstanding efforts to bridge the gap between complex space exploration and public understanding, the team has been awarded the distinguished Stephen Hawking Medal.


The honor was presented on Saturday, October 17, during the inaugural ceremony of the Starmus VIII festival held in Tenerife, Canary Islands. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, accepted the accolade on behalf of the entire four-person crew, which also includes NASA astronaut Christina Koch.


A Shift in Perspective

For Reid Wiseman, the opportunity to view Earth from the lunar vicinity left a profound impact. Describing the experience of seeing our planet reduced to a small point in the vastness of space, he highlighted the emotional weight of that perspective:

«If we could take each of you 250,000 miles away from this planet, 400,000 kilometers away from planet Earth, and you would see Earth the size of your thumb. It's tiny. When you're there looking through the moon, back at this tiny Earth, the only thing you feel is love, peace, hope, unity. Those aren't the right words, but that is all you feel.»

Connecting the World to Space

The Artemis II crew did far more than test the capabilities of NASA's Orion spacecraft. Through consistent updates, live interviews, and a steady stream of breathtaking imagery, they transformed a highly technical mission into a shared human experience. This ability to make science accessible and inspiring is the core purpose of the Stephen Hawking Medal.

Established in 2016 by the late physicist Stephen Hawking and the Starmus organization, the award recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence in science communication. The Artemis II team joins a distinguished list of former recipients, including:

  • Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 moonwalker
  • David Attenborough, naturalist
  • Jane Goodall, primatologist
  • Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist

As the festival marks the medal's 10th anniversary, filmmaker Ridley Scott was also among those recognized this year.


Looking Toward the Future

Reflecting on the achievement, Starmus co-founder and legendary Queen guitarist Brian May expressed his excitement, noting the symbolic connection between honoring the Artemis II crew and the Apollo astronauts who pioneered lunar exploration decades ago.

Wiseman concluded his remarks with a hopeful call to action for everyone on Earth:

«When you come home to this beautiful planet, you realise that it's in every single one of us to choose to make tomorrow better. So let's all choose to make tomorrow better.»

The Starmus VIII festival, themed "The Search for Truth," continues through October 22, bringing together experts from various fields to promote scientific discovery and critical thinking.