The Artemis II astronauts will be celebrated for their efforts to humanize complex aerospace engineering, using social media, live broadcasts, and educational initiatives to share the mission’s risks and discoveries. By documenting the personal side of their lunar journey, the crew bridged the gap between technical milestones and the public imagination, effectively building on the legacy of past Apollo pioneers who utilized the platform to advocate for space exploration.

STARMUS co-founder Garik Israelian noted that the award highlights the crew’s ability to bring millions of people along on their voyage, mirroring the festival’s founding mission to pull science out of laboratories and into the public sphere. The medal, which features an artistic tribute to Stephen Hawking by the late cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, serves as a bridge between the Apollo generation and current efforts to return humanity to the Moon. The ceremony is scheduled for October 17, 2026, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, concluding with a performance featuring Andrea Bocelli and Brian May.