China honored the three crew members of its 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, a veteran astronaut, was awarded a second-class aerospace achievement medal. Li Cong and Li Guangsu received third-class aerospace achievement medals and were bestowed with the honorary title of \"Heroic Astronaut.\" Ye had previously received this honorary title in 2022.
The awards were conferred by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, underscoring the national significance of their accomplishments.
Launched on April 25, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship marked Ye's second journey to the Chinese space station. He spent approximately six months aboard, adding to his previous six-month stay during the Shenzhou-13 mission. With over a year in orbit, Ye became the country's first astronaut to achieve this milestone.
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, demonstrating exceptional skill and dedication. Li Guangsu made history by installing the first space debris protection device on the space station during his maiden spacewalk.
Throughout the mission, the trio conducted two extravehicular activities and carried out nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests. Their work has contributed significantly to China's advancements in space exploration and technology.
After a record-breaking 192 days in orbit, the astronauts returned to Earth on November 4, 2024, setting a new duration record for China's crewed space missions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
