China celebrated its latest space heroes this week, awarding medals to the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission for their groundbreaking contributions to the nation’s space program! 🌌 The trio—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—were recognized by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission.
Veteran astronaut Ye Guangfu snagged a second-class aerospace achievement medal, adding to his 2022 'Heroic Astronaut' title. Meanwhile, first-time space travelers Li Cong and Li Guangsu earned third-class medals and the same heroic title. Talk about leveling up! 🎮💫
The crew made history during their 192-day mission (the longest yet!) at China’s space station. Ye became the first Chinese astronaut to spend over a year in orbit, while Li Guangsu installed the station’s first space debris shield during a spacewalk. Li Cong, the youngest of the group, aced all assigned tasks like a pro. 👨🚀🔧
Their mission wasn’t all floating around—they conducted two spacewalks and nearly 100 experiments, pushing the boundaries of space science. After landing back on Earth in November 2024, these cosmic trailblazers are now soaking in well-deserved accolades. 🌍✨
