This Medal was established by the FAI in 1968 in honour of Astronaut Yuri A. Gagarin, who performed the first space flight by man on the 12th of April 1961. He lost his life on the 27th of March 1968 in a tragic aircraft accident while carrying out a training flight. It is annually awarded to the space pilot who in the previous year has accomplished the greatest achievement in Man's conquest of Space.

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Year Recipient 2003  Crew of mission STS 107 (International) COL Rick D. Husband, USAF, Commander - CDR William C. McCool, USN, Pilot - CPT David M. Brown, USN, Mission Specialist 1 - Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D. Mission Specialist 2 LCOL Michael P. Anderson, USAF, Mission Specialist 3, Payload Commander - CPT Laurel B. Clark, M.D., USN Mission Specialist 4 - COL Ilan Ramon, Israel Air Force Payload Specialist 1 / Affiliations: -The crew consists of six NASA Astronauts and one Israeli payload specialist. For the successful completion of the more than 80 ground-breaking experiments during Mission STS-107 in the fields of combustion, Earth science and human physiological and biological response to micro gravity. The crew of STS-107 was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on January 16, 2003, from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The 16-day flight was a dedicated science and research mission marking the first flight of the Spacehab Research Double Module. Working 24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts, the crew successfully conducted approximately 80 experiments. The STS-107 mission ended abruptly on February 1, 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew perished during entry, 16 minutes before their scheduled landing. Following launch and insertion into orbit, the crew conducted groundbreaking research and experiments in the fields of combustion, Earth science and human physiological and biological response to micro gravity using the Spacehab Research Double Module in the payload bay. The Research Double Module is a pressurized environment that is accessible to the crew while on orbit via a tunnel from the Orbiter’s middeck. The life science research that the crew conducted was designed to increase the understanding of the processes and countermeasures to combat debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis, Parkinson’s, and cancer. The STS-107 crew was directly responsible for studies of the relationship between prostate cancer and bones cells, as well as a Protein Crystal Growth experiment in which a key enzyme involved in the spread of several types of cancer was crystallized. The crew also conducted the Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System experiment, which sought to understand changes in human respiratory physiology during weightlessness and to better understand the basic workings of the heart, lungs and supporting systems. Crew participation also included several experiments on the human body to study the affects of space flight on such conditions as renal stone development, latent virus shedding and sleep patterns in space, among others. In addition, the crew conducted experiments on microbe adaptation to changing environmental and gravitational conditions and micro gravitational affects on bacteria and fungi. In the field of Earth science, the crew’s investigations researched the impact of airborne particles and the corresponding effects on climatic changes in the Earth’s atmosphere. The crew conducted the Mechanics of Granular Materials experiment to better understand the strength and stiffness properties of soil, which provides invaluable information for the fields of earthquake engineering, open pit mining, and offshore engineering. The crew conducted additional research in the field of controlled combustion in order to understand the mechanisms behind soot production and its effect on combustion engines. The crew’s research may one day help lead to improving engine efficiency thereby reducing exhaust emissions and reducing fuel consumption. The crew also conducted the Water Mist Fire Suppression Experiment, which studied how to more effectively employ water-based fire-fighting systems to replace Halon, which is being banned because of damage to Earth’s ozone layer. The STS-107 crew gave their lives contributing to the exploration of space when the crippled Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart on February 1, 2003, during the hazardous entry into the atmosphere. Even though the vehicle and crew were tragically lost, the amount of data gathered and downlinked during the mission for several of the experiments have exceeded minimum requirements such that the STS-107 mission can be quantified as a success. The crew’s flawless execution of this challenging mission attests to their superlative technical acumen and tireless dedication. The STS-107 crew members are most highly deserving of the prestigious Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal   2002  Crew of the International Space Station Expedition 4 (International) Onufrienko, Yury Ivanovich, Colonel, Russian Air Force, Carl E. Walz, Colonel, USAF, Daniel W. Bursch, Captain, USN. The Expedition 4 crew launched to the ISS on board STS-108 on December 5, 2001, and returned to Earth on June 19, 2002, on STS-111, completing 196 days in space. This duration represents a record stay for U. S. Astronauts on a single space flight. The Expedition 6 crew oversaw the delivery and installation of a new ISS truss segment S0, and installation of the Mobile Transporter. They hosted the visit of an international Soyuz taxi crew and completed three planned Extravehicular Activities (EVA’s) or space walks to perform critical maintenance and assembly tasks on the Station. In addition, the crew, along with both control centers in Houston and Moscow, supported the upgrade of the station’s system software and recovered from a Loss of Attitude Control (LOAC) contingency situation. The crew began preparing for this ambitious flight in 1997. Serving as the back-up crew for Expedition 2 and the prime crew for Expedition 4, ISS Commander Onufrienko and his colleagues, Colonel Walz and Captain Bursch, began an extensive training program that was conducted in Russia and the United States. During this period they learned the operations of both the Russian and the U. S. segments of the Space Station, as well as the operations of the Soyuz capsule that was to be available to them as a descent vehicle in the event of an in-flight emergency. After four years of intensive training, the crew launched to the ISS on the Space Shuttle Endeavor. The first major event of the Expedition 4 increment was the undocking of the Progress M1-6 Cargo transport vehicle. The Progress M1-7 vehicle arrival to ISS followed later in the increment with the crew participating in guiding it to a rendezvous and docking. The crew also hosted two shuttle flights: STS-110 (8A) and 111 (UF2). Additionally, the crew relocated the Soyuz TM-33 transport vehicle from the FGB pressurized adapter to the Russian docking compartment DC-1 to facilitate the arrival of a visiting Soyuz Taxi crew, Soyuz TM-34. The crew executed three EVA’s from the Station. The first of these, by Onufrienko and Walz, was performed in the Russian Orlan suit from the DC-1 and accomplished the primary task of moving the Russian cargo boom (Strella) from its temporary stowage location to its permanent location on DC-1. In addition, the crew installed a ham radio antenna on the Service Module. Onufrienko and Bursch performed the second Orlan EVA from the DC-1. This EVA included external payload, handrail, cable holder (Ham radio antenna) and plume deflector installations. Walz and Bursch performed the third and final EVA of the increment, this time in the U. S. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) from the ISS Airlock. This EVA, the first U. S. based EVA to be performed during a stage, entailed resolution of Airlock anomalies from previous missions, relocation/retrieval of ISS tools, mating of electrical umbilicals, shroud removal, relocation of Strella adapters and inspection of multiple quick disconnects (QDs) on various station interfaces. The Expedition 4 crew experienced one of the Station’s most significant and risky anomalies, a Loss of Attitude Control (LOAC). The extraordinary skills of the crew were clearly evident through their teamwork, quick thinking, and calm execution of appropriate procedures. Their efforts, coupled with the ground’s quick response, enabled rapid recovery to a nominal situation. As commander of the mission, Onufrienko was on his second space flight having served also as commander of the 193 day Mir-21 mission. Onufrienko has now logged 389 days in space. As the ISS commander, Onufrienko was responsible for the overall safety and mission operations of the crew, in addition to being responsible for all Russian systems and payload experiments. This was the fourth flight into space for Walz who, having flown on STS-51 (1993), 65 (1994), and 79 (1996), has now logged over 231 days in space. As Flight Engineer 1 on both the ISS and Soyuz, he was responsible for the all U. S. systems of the Space Station, focusing on the computer Local Area Network (LAN), environmental and communication-systems and for assisting Commander Onufrienko with Soyuz operations. Walz also was the primary operator for numerous U.S. payload experiments. This was also ISS Flight Engineer 2 Daniel Bursch’s fourth flight into space. He flew on STS- 51 (1993), 68 (1994), and 77 (1996). With this flight to the ISS, Captain Bursch has now logged over 227 days in space. On board the ISS, he was primarily responsible for the U. S. command and data and robotics systems in the U. S. segment, while serving as the ISS Chief Medical Officer. In addition, Bursch was the primary operator for a majority of the U. S. payloads. The flight of the fourth Expedition was an extremely important milestone for the ISS program. The crew demonstrated outstanding international co-operation in space, set a record for on-orbit time for U. S. Crew members and exhibited an incredibly high level of skill and professionalism during the demanding mission. The Expedition 4 crew members are most highly deserving of the prestigious Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal   2001  Crew of the International Space Station Expedition 2 (International) 2001  Crew of the International Space Station Expedition 3 (International) 2000  Crew of the International Space Station Expedition 1 (International) 1999 not awarded 1998 Andrew S. W. THOMAS (USA) 1997 C. Michael FOALE (USA) 1996 Mrs. Shannon W. LUCID, Ph. D. (USA) 1995 Capt. Robert L. GIBSON (USA) 1995 Flt. Eng. Miguel E. LOPEZ-ALEGRIA (Spain) 1994 Charles F. BOLDEN, Jr. (USA) 1993 Richard O. COVEY (USA) 1993 Dr. Claude NICOLLIER (Switzerland) 1992 not awarded 1991 Capt. Michael L. COATS (USA) 1990 Anatoly SOLOVIOV (USSR) 1989 Alexandr VICTORENKO (USSR) 1988 Jean-Loup CHRETIEN (France) 1988 Alexandr A. VOLKOV (USSR) 1987 Yuri V. ROMANENKO (USSR) 1986 Vladimir SOLOVIEV (USSR) 1985 not awarded 1984 Frederick H. HAUCK (USA) 1983 Robert L. CRIPPEN (USA) 1982 Thomas K. MATTINGLY (USA) 1981 Joe H. ENGLE (USA) 1980 not awarded 1979 Valery RYUMIN (USSR) 1978 Vladimir V. KOVALYONOK (USSR) 1978 Alexandr IVANCHENKOV (USSR) 1977 not awarded 1976 not awarded 1975 Donald K. SLAYTON (USA) 1975 Vance D. BRAND (USA) 1975 Valery Nikolayevich KOUBASOV (USSR) 1974 Dr. Edward G. GIBSON (USA) 1973 Alan L. BEAN (USA) 1972 John W. YOUNG (USA) 1971 Vladimir Alexandrovich CHATALOV (USSR) 1971 Alexei Stanislavovich ELISSEIEV (USSR) 1970 Andrian Grigoryevich NIKOLAYEV (USSR) 1970 Vitali Ivanovich SEVASTIANOV (USSR) 1969 Charles CONRAD, Jr. (USA) 1968 Georgy Timofeevitch BEREGOVOI (USSR)