NASA Astronaut Sets New Record for Longest Time in Space
Record-breaking NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has safely returned to Earth after spending a record-breaking 371 days in space. Rubio, along with his Russian colleagues Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, landed in Kazakhstan aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-23 capsule on Wednesday.
Rubio’s long stay in space set a new record for the longest time a US astronaut has ever spent in microgravity. He also became the first American to spend an entire calendar year in orbit. This mission was particularly significant for Rubio, as it was his first journey to space after being selected for the NASA astronaut corps in 2017. He also became the first astronaut of Salvadoran origin to travel to low-Earth orbit.
Rubio’s extended stay in space was unexpected, as he was originally scheduled to spend only six months aboard the International Space Station. However, a coolant leak on his original ride resulted in him logging an additional 371 days in space. In a recent interview, Rubio admitted that if he had known about the extension beforehand, he would have declined the assignment due to family commitments.
Now that Rubio is back on Earth, he is expected to begin his journey home from the Soyuz spacecraft’s landing site in Kazakhstan. After making a stop in Karaganda, he will board a flight to Houston, where he will reunite with his family.
Rubio’s mission highlights the importance of US and Russian cooperation in space. Due to a ride-sharing agreement between NASA and Roscosmos, Rubio traveled to the space station on a Russian spacecraft. This agreement ensures that both countries have access to the space station in case of spacecraft issues.
During his time in space, Rubio and his crewmates traveled over 157 million miles and completed 5,963 orbits of the Earth. The previous record for the longest stay in space by a US astronaut was 355 days, set by NASA’s Mark Vande Hei in 2022. The world record for the longest stay in space is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days aboard Russia’s Mir space station.
Rubio’s return to Earth marks the end of a remarkable mission filled with scientific advancements. As he readjusts to life back on Earth, Rubio looks forward to enjoying the peace and quiet and being reunited with his family.