NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who has been awarded Russia’s Order of Courage for surviving last year’s botched space launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome, said he would be honored to wear this medal. This reported by TASS.

"I am honored to be awarded the Russian Order of Courage. I have learned that courage in the face of adversity is defined by how you respond," the astronaut told TASS. "Through first-hand experience, I have witnessed true courage and leadership from my Commander Alexey Ovchinin, our international team of trainers and operators, and the Search and Rescue Forces who brought us home to our loved ones," said Hague, who was with Ovchinin onboard the Soyuz rocket, which aborted shortly after the launch in October 2018 due to a failure of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle.

"For all of them I will wear this medal with pride," the astronaut stressed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on awarding the Order of Courage to NASA astronaut Nick Hague on October 8. Hague was bestowed the prestigious state award "for courage and high professionalism shown while performing his duties in the conditions of an increased risk to life when an emergency situation occurred at the Baikonur cosmodrome."