Washington: In honour of his support of NASA programs and science education, NASA has honoured Canadian actor William Shatner with its Distinguished Public Service Medal, the space agency`s highest award for non-government people.
The medal reads, "For outstanding generosity and dedication to inspiring new generations of explorers around the world, and for unwavering support for NASA and its missions of discovery." Shatner is the first `Star Trek` cast member to receive the award, CNet reported.
Looking more actual cowboy than space-cowboy, Shatner accepted the honor during his annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show on April 26. Shatner has a history of involvement with NASA projects, including narrating a documentary on space shuttles, recording a wake-up call for the astronauts aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 2011, and providing the voice-over for a dramatic video about the Curiosity Mars rover.