By Jumoke Abubakar
American astronaut Christina Koch has won Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Concord in recognition of her contributions to space exploration and efforts to advance humanity’s understanding of the universe.
Announcing the award on Wednesday, the jury praised Koch for helping to “extend the frontiers of humanity” and for inspiring future generations, particularly women, through her achievements in science and exploration.
The jury said her career reflects humanity’s ability to overcome challenges through hard work, collaboration and empathy.
Koch, 47, recently made history as the first woman to participate in a lunar mission as a member of the four-person Artemis II crew.
The mission completed a flyby of the Moon in April, marking humanity’s first crewed lunar journey in more than five decades. The crew also set a new record by travelling 406,771 kilometres from Earth, farther than any humans have travelled before.
Koch is widely regarded as a potential candidate for future missions that could return astronauts to the lunar surface.
She previously set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days in orbit. She also took part in the first all-female spacewalk alongside fellow astronaut Jessica Meir.
The Princess of Asturias Award for Concord carries a prize of €50,000 and is one of eight annual awards presented by the foundation named after Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne.
The award recognises individuals and organisations that promote human coexistence, solidarity and international cooperation.
Previous recipients include charity organisation Mary’s Meals, Spanish-American chef José Andrés and Spain’s healthcare workers for their service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
