- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Institution: 1981
- Country: United States
The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration first awarded in 1981 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.”
The medal is bestowed upon any astronaut (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. The medal is authorized for wear on active uniforms of the United States military and is worn after all military decorations.
The NASA Space Flight Medal Design
The medal is circular, struck in bronze and measures 1-5/8 inches (4 centimeters) in diameter.
The obverse shows a garland border, with a triangle featuring a space shuttle and the word “NASA” below it. The reverse is plain except for the inscription “SPACE FLIGHT MEDAL“.
The ribbon has stripes of blue, red, dark blue, red and lavender.
