China celebrated the achievements of its Shenzhou-17 astronauts at a high-profile ceremony Friday, awarding medals to the crew for their groundbreaking contributions to space exploration. 🌌 The trio—Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin—were recognized by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission for their 187-day mission aboard the China Space Station.
Commander Tang Hongbo, who became the first astronaut to return to the station for a second mission, received a second-class aerospace medal. 'It’s an honor to witness China’s space progress firsthand,' he said at a recent press conference. Meanwhile, Tang Shengjie, 34, made history as the youngest astronaut to work on the station—and even celebrated his birthday in orbit! 🎂 Jiang Xinlin, praised for his role as lead spacewalk technician, completed critical maintenance tasks during two daring extravehicular activities.
Launched in October 2023, the mission broke records for the longest Chinese crewed spaceflight and conducted over 100 experiments, from testing next-gen tech to studying microgravity effects. Their work lays the foundation for future lunar ambitions and international collaborations.
