NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has set a new record for the longest single spaceflight by an American, the agency announced on Tuesday. Rubio surpassed the previous record of 355 days, which was held by NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, on Monday. He is scheduled to return to Earth on Sept. 27, after spending 371 days in orbit.
Rubio launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sept. 25, 2022, aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Since then, he has been part of the Expedition 65 and 66 crews, working on various scientific and technological experiments. He also conducted three spacewalks, totaling 19 hours and 15 minutes, to install new solar arrays and perform maintenance tasks on the station.
Rubio said he was honored to break the record and thanked his family, friends, and colleagues for their support. “It’s been an amazing journey and a privilege to be part of this incredible team,” he said in a video message from the ISS. “I’m looking forward to seeing my loved ones soon, but I’m also proud of what we’ve accomplished here in space.”
NASA said Rubio’s record-breaking mission will provide valuable data and insights for future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The agency plans to send the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the end of the decade. NASA also hopes to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.
Rubio is a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and surgeon who joined NASA’s astronaut corps in 2017. He is one of four astronauts selected for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which partners with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing to transport crew members to and from the ISS. Rubio is also the first Hispanic American to fly on a commercial crew vehicle.
Rubio will return to Earth with his crewmates Akihiko Hoshide of Japan and Thomas Pesquet of France, who have been on the ISS since April 2021. They will depart from the station in their Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida.
NASA Austronaut Single Spaceflight Record Holders:
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