China honors Shenzhou-18 mission astronauts with medals

BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The three crew members of China's Shenzhou-18 mission -- Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu -- were awarded medals on Thursday for their services to China's space endeavors.

Ye was honored with a 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, received the honorary title of "Heroic Astronaut" in 2022.

The decision was made by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

China launched the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship on April 25, 2024. It was crew commander Ye's second journey to China's space station, where he lived for approximately six months. Previously, he stayed in the space station for six months during the Shenzhou-13 mission, thus becoming the country's first astronaut to have lived in orbit for over a year.

Shenzhou-18 was the first space flight mission for both Li Cong and Li Guangsu. Li Cong, the youngest member of the crew, completed all assigned tasks well, while Li Guangsu successfully installed the first space debris protection device on the space station in his first spacewalk.

During the Shenzhou-18 mission, the three astronauts carried out two extravehicular activities and nearly 100 space science experiments and in-orbit application payload tests/experiments.

The astronaut trio returned to Earth on Nov. 4, 2024 after spending a record-breaking 192 days in orbit.