The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it su ...
. According to its statutes, it is awarded "for significant achievement or service during individual participation as a civilian or military astronaut, pilot, mission specialist, payload specialist, or other space flight participant in a space flight mission."
In practice, the medal is bestowed upon any
astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
(US or foreign) who flies aboard a United States
space mission, and typically every subsequent flight is honored with an additional award.
Multiple awards of the decoration are annotated either by
award stars or
oak leaf clusters (depending on the civilian or military status of the recipient and, if military, the
branch of service). The NASA Space Flight Medal is also authorized for wear on active uniforms of the
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
and is worn after all military decorations.
For those who perform an act of gallantry or heroic action while engaged in a U.S. space mission, NASA also presents an award known as the
Congressional Space Medal of Honor. This is separate award from the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
which is a U.S. military decoration for extreme bravery.
See also
*
List of NASA awards
Awards and decorations of the United States government are Civil awards and decorations, civilian awards of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, in a civ ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nasa Space Flight Medal
Space Flight Medal