In a supposed 6-month stay for NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio, unexpected problems have led to him making history now, being one of the celebrated cosmic residents, for spending more than a year on the ISS. The NASA Astronaut is now the record holder of having the longest stay in space for a person, breaking the previous set record that was only a few days shy of doing a full year.
NASA Astronaut Breaks Record for Longest Stay in Space
(Photo : NASA)
NASA has named the longest-staying astronaut in space, and that is a record that Frank Rubio has taken, with his iconic stay on the ISS.
The space agency recently contacted Rubio via a video conference directly from the International Space Station, and here, he was given praise for his service to his country and the entire space industry.
Rubio will have spent as much as 371 days in space when he comes home by the end of this month, besting the previous record that Mark Vande Hei set in 2021 and 2022. NASA's list of record stays in space will soon include Rubio under the "Single Spaceflight Record Holders" list.
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Frank Rubio's International Space Station Stay
Rubio's supposed stay was only until the spring break of 2023, but an unfortunate event had him extending his stay. It was because a micrometeoroid struck the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft on its way to the space station.
The spacecraft was most likely to overheat from the damages it received and was sent back to the planet with no passengers on board. Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts stayed to complete the missions.
"As a doctor, I'm really excited to see how my body does when I return," Rubio said.
Rubio has seen and worked with as many as 28 colleagues from the international space community during his stay.
NASA's Astronauts and the ISS
A typical cycle for astronauts in space to do their missions is around five to six months, with the previous NASA and SpaceX Crew-5 mission seeing more than five months for their trip to the space station. This is something that Rubio has significantly overcome, spending more than a year in space and missing important moments of his life from down below.
The most recent return mission was done earlier this September, with NASA's Crew-6 seeing three astronauts and one cosmonaut return to the planet, having splashed down close to Jacksonville, Florida. These set of space explorers have served a 6-month mission for NASA, filled with significant science and discovery, and also faced a short delay before their homecoming.
Astronauts are given the chance to spend as much as six months during their stay in space, but not all are willing to undertake a daring mission of spending more than a year in space. NASA's Frank Rubio bravely took on this mission knowing that he has a lot to lose and miss out on, as well as the many effects of staying in space for long, with the astronaut now praised for his service not only for the country but for the world.
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