China awarded medals to the three crew members of the Shenzhou-18 mission on Thursday, recognizing their significant contributions to the nation's space endeavors. Ye Guangfu received a second-class aerospace achievement medal, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu were honored with third-class aerospace achievement medals and the honorary title of \"Heroic Astronaut.\" Ye, a seasoned astronaut, had previously been awarded the title of \"Heroic Astronaut\" in 2022.
The decision to honor the astronauts was made by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission.
The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship was launched on April 25, 2024, marking Commander Ye Guangfu's second journey to China's space station. During this mission, he spent approximately six months aboard the station, bringing his total time in orbit to over a year—making him the first astronaut from China to achieve this milestone. Ye had previously spent six months in space during the Shenzhou-13 mission.
For Li Cong and Li Guangsu, Shenzhou-18 was their inaugural spaceflight. Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, successfully completed all assigned tasks, while Li Guangsu played a crucial role in installing the first space debris protection device on the space station during his first spacewalk.
Throughout the mission, the trio conducted two extravehicular activities and carried out nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests and experiments.
After spending a record-breaking 192 days in orbit, the Shenzhou-18 crew returned to Earth on November 4, 2024.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
