China has honored the three astronauts of its Shenzhou-18 mission—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—with prestigious medals for their 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.
Veteran astronaut Ye Guangfu received a second-class aerospace achievement medal. Ye was previously honored with the title of \"Heroic Astronaut\" in 2022, following his participation in the Shenzhou-13 mission. His latest journey aboard Shenzhou-18 marked his second time living on China's space station, bringing his total time in orbit to over a year—the first for any Chinese astronaut.
First-time astronauts Li Cong and Li Guangsu were each awarded third-class aerospace achievement medals and the honorary title of \"Heroic Astronaut.\" Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, successfully completed all assigned tasks during the mission. Li Guangsu, in his inaugural spacewalk, installed the first space debris protection device on the space station.
Launched on April 25, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft carried the trio to China's space station for a mission that lasted a record-breaking 192 days. During their time in orbit, the astronauts conducted two extravehicular activities and performed nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests. They returned to Earth on November 4, 2024.
The Shenzhou-18 mission represents a significant milestone in China's rapidly advancing space program, demonstrating the nation's growing capabilities in long-duration spaceflight and scientific research in orbit.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
