China has honored the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission with medals for their remarkable contributions to the nation's space endeavors. The awards were presented on Thursday by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission.
Ye Guangfu received a second-class aerospace achievement medal, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu were each awarded third-class aerospace achievement medals and the honorary title of \"Heroic Astronaut.\" Ye, a veteran astronaut, had previously been honored with the title of \"Heroic Astronaut\" in 2022.
The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship was launched on April 25, 2024, marking Ye's second journey to China's space station. He became the first astronaut from China to spend over a year in orbit, having previously participated in the Shenzhou-13 mission.
For Li Cong and Li Guangsu, Shenzhou-18 was their inaugural spaceflight mission. Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, successfully completed all assigned tasks, while Li Guangsu made a significant contribution by installing the first space debris protection device on the space station during his first spacewalk.
During their mission, the trio conducted two extravehicular activities and carried out nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests. They returned to Earth on November 4, 2024, after spending a record-breaking 192 days in orbit.
The recognition of the Shenzhou-18 astronauts underscores China's ongoing commitment to advancing its space exploration program and highlights the achievements of its astronauts in pushing the boundaries of human spaceflight.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
