China honored the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—with prestigious medals on Thursday, recognizing their significant contributions to the nation's space endeavors.
Ye Guangfu was awarded the second-class aerospace achievement medal, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu received 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 awards were bestowed by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, underscoring the importance of the astronauts' achievements to China's space program.
The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship was launched on April 25, 2024. This mission marked Commander Ye Guangfu's second journey to China's space station, where he lived for approximately six months. Previously, he spent six months aboard the space station during the Shenzhou-13 mission, making him the country's first astronaut to have lived in orbit for over a year.
For astronauts Li Cong and Li Guangsu, Shenzhou-18 was their inaugural spaceflight. Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, excelled in completing all assigned tasks, while Li Guangsu made history by successfully installing the first space debris protection device on the space station during his maiden spacewalk.
Throughout the Shenzhou-18 mission, the trio conducted two extravehicular activities and undertook nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests. Their work has significantly advanced China's capabilities in space exploration and scientific research.
After spending a record-breaking 192 days in orbit, the Shenzhou-18 crew safely returned to Earth on November 4, 2024, marking another milestone in China's rapidly advancing space program.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
