(Xinhua/Su Dong)
The three astronauts of China’s Shenzhou-18 manned mission met with the press on Wednesday, marking their first public appearance since returning from space two months ago.
The three crew members – Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu – are in good physical and mental health. Their muscular strength, endurance and cardiopulmonary function have almost returned to their pre-flight levels.
China launched the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft on April 25, 2024. The trio returned to Earth on November 4 after 192 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest manned mission to space by Chinese astronauts .
During the mission, the Shenzhou-18 crew used the scientific experiment cabinets and extravehicular payloads to carry out dozens of experiments in the fields of fundamental microgravity physics, space materials science, of the science of life in space, space medicine and space technologies. They also performed spacewalks twice.
Mr. Ye, the commander of the Shenzhou-18 mission, became the first Chinese astronaut to have accumulated more than a year of flight in space, setting a new record for the longest stay in orbit in a Chinese astronaut.
“I am honored to witness and participate in the significant progress of China’s manned space missions with my teammates,” he said at the press conference held at the China Astronaut Center in Beijing. .
The crew will return to regular training once they have successfully completed all health and wellness assessments.
(Xinhua/Li Minggang)
