Upon his return, Frank Rubio will have completed a remarkable 371 consecutive days in space.
A NASA astronaut, Frank Rubio, aged 47, has set a new record for the longest space mission in U.S. history. He has been on the International Space Station since September 2022, spending over 355 days, surpassing the previous record held by retired NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei. Rubio’s return to Earth is scheduled for September 27, making him the first American and seventh person overall to spend over a year in space, totaling 371 days. The overall record for most consecutive days in space belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who spent 437 days in space.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated Rubio on his achievement and highlighted the significance of his mission for future astronauts and space exploration. In an interview, Rubio emphasized the importance of understanding how the human body can adapt to prolonged space travel, especially as NASA plans missions to the moon and Mars.
Rubio’s mission was originally intended to last six months but was extended due to an external leak in the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which necessitated additional time on the International Space Station. Upon returning to Earth, Rubio expects to face challenges with equilibrium, walking, and standing upright, requiring intensive rehabilitation over several months to return to normalcy.
