NASA Space Flight Medal

NASA Space Flight Medal
Awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Type	Individual Medal
Eligibility	Flight crew members
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."
Status	Active
Precedence
Next (higher)	NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal
Next (lower)	NASA Outstanding Service Medal
NASA Space Flight Ribbon

The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 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 (US or foreign) who flies aboard a United States space mission, and typically every subsequent orbital flight is honoured 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 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 which is a U.S. military decoration for extreme bravery.

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States government
• Awards and decorations of the United States military

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