Mark Vander Hei, a NASA astronaut who has since retired, previously held the title for the most extended space mission by a US astronaut.
Astronaut Frank Rubio has now broken that record. Rubio, who has been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since September 2022, reached this milestone on Monday, solidifying his status as a record-setting astronaut.
Frank Rubio’s Year in Space: Historic Mission Extension
In a few weeks, Rubio is scheduled to achieve another impressive milestone. On September 27, a Russian Soyuz capsule will return him and his two crewmates, cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, to Earth.
This mission extension will result in Rubio spending at least 371 days in orbit, making him the first American to spend more than a year in microgravity.
Nevertheless, Rubio’s mission was initially intended to be much shorter.
In September 2022, when he departed he and his crewmates anticipated a six-month mission aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule bound for the International Space Station.
Unexpectedly, their spacecraft suffered a refrigerant breach in December, prompting the Russian space agency Roscosmos to deem the vessel unfit for the crew’s return.
In March, the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft returned to Earth without a crew.
Roscosmos launched a replacement spacecraft, MS-23, which docked with the space station in February to facilitate Rubio’s extended stay.
This delay in Rubio’s return resulted from Russia’s preparations for the next Soyuz vehicle, due to launch with a new crew of two cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut.
On September 5, he recorded an interview with Mark Vander Hei to commemorate Rubio’s extraordinary accomplishment.
NASA intends to air this footage on its media channel to celebrate Rubio’s historic mission.
Read more: NASA’s Secret Strategy Sessions: James Webb Telescope And The Search For Extraterrestrial Life
Rubio’s Space Mission: A Testament to Astronaut Legacy
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised Rubio for his commitment, stating that Rubio’s space voyage exemplifies the spirit of exploration and paves the way for future generations of astronauts.
Even though Rubio’s mission is exceptional, it does not break the record for the most extended space mission.
The document is held by the late Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 consecutive days in orbit onboard Russia’s Mir space station.
Before Rubio and Vande Hei, Scott Kelly held the record for the longest spaceflight by an American with his 340-day mission.
NASA intentionally extended Kelly’s mission to investigate the long-term impacts of spaceflight on the human body.
Gennadi Padalka, a Russian cosmonaut, currently holds the record for the most cumulative days in space, with 879 days accumulated over five spaceflights.
Peggy Whitson has the US record for the most days accrued in length, with 675 days in orbit.
Despite geopolitical tensions between the United States and Russia, NASA has repeatedly emphasized the significance of its partnership with Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, to assure the continued safe operation of the ISS and conduct valuable scientific research on board.
Rubio’s extended stay in space exemplifies the commitment and resiliency of astronauts and contributes to our comprehension of human endurance in space’s demanding environment.
Additionally, it establishes him as an essential figure in the annals of space exploration.
Please note that the information in this article is based on data available at the time of writing and may be updated as the mission progresses.
Read more: NASA InSight Observations: Mars’ Rotation Speed Increasing Year By Year
