China has honored the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—with prestigious medals in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the nation's space endeavors.
On Thursday, Ye Guangfu was awarded a second-class aerospace achievement medal, while his crewmates Li Cong and Li Guangsu received third-class aerospace achievement medals along with the honorary title of \"Heroic Astronaut.\" Ye, a veteran astronaut, had previously been bestowed with the \"Heroic Astronaut\" title in 2022.
The commendations were announced by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, underscoring the significance of the astronauts' achievements.
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. With this mission, Ye became the first Chinese astronaut to have spent over a year in orbit, having previously stayed aboard the space station for six months during the Shenzhou-13 mission.
For Li Cong and Li Guangsu, Shenzhou-18 was their maiden spaceflight. Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, excelled in completing all assigned tasks, while Li Guangsu made significant strides by successfully installing the first space debris protection device on the space station during his inaugural spacewalk.
Throughout their mission, the astronaut trio conducted two extravehicular activities and carried out nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests. Their efforts have contributed immensely to China's growing capabilities in space exploration and research.
After spending a record-breaking 192 days in orbit, the crew returned to Earth on November 4, 2024, marking a remarkable achievement in the nation's space history.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
