China is over the moon 🌙—literally! On Friday, the nation celebrated the stellar achievements of the Shenzhou-17 astronauts by awarding them top honors for their incredible journey to the China Space Station.
Tang Hongbo, the mission's commander, was bestowed with a second-class aerospace achievement medal. This marks his second voyage to the stars, and he couldn't be more thrilled. \"I feel honored to witness and participate in the remarkable advancements of our country's manned spaceflights,\" he shared during a recent press conference.
Tang Shengjie, who became the youngest astronaut to enter the China Space Station at just 34, received a third-class medal and the honorary title of \"heroic astronaut.\" Talk about a birthday to remember—he even celebrated his 34th birthday while floating among the stars! 🎂✨
Jiang Xinlin was also awarded a third-class medal and the title of \"heroic astronaut.\" As the chief operator for extravehicular maintenance activities, Jiang played a crucial role in keeping everything shipshape outside the station.
The medals and honors were presented by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission—an epic trifecta of recognition! 🏅🏅🏅
The Shenzhou-17 mission, launched on October 26, 2023, was nothing short of groundbreaking. The trio spent a record-breaking 187 days in orbit, surpassing all previous crews. During their time among the stars, they carried out two spacewalks and approximately 100 experiments and tests. That's some serious multitasking in microgravity! 🚀🛰️
This mission not only showcases China's advancements in space exploration but also inspires a new generation to look up and dream big. Who knows? Maybe the next space hero is reading this article right now! 🌟
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
