Nasa Astronaut Frank Rubio Returns After Record-Breaking 371 Days in Space

Nasa astronaut Frank Rubio, accompanied by fellow crew members, made a historic return to Earth after an extraordinary 371-day stay in space.

The Journey Home

Rubio’s journey back to Earth commenced with his departure from the International Space Station (ISS), alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. Their descent, supported by parachutes, was safe and precise, culminating in their landing at 7:17 a.m. (5:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) in a remote area southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

Record-Breaking Mission

What was initially planned as a 180-day mission extended into an unexpected 371-day odyssey for Rubio, surpassing the previous Nasa record held by Mark Vande Hei by over two weeks. Russia holds the ultimate record for space endurance, with a staggering 437-day mission achieved during the mid-1990s.

Safe Return Aboard Soyuz

Upon their return, Rubio and his cosmonaut companions traveled aboard a Soyuz capsule that had been launched as a replacement in February. This replacement was necessary due to a coolant leak issue in the original capsule, which raised concerns about the safety of its electronics and occupants.

Astronomical Achievements

Rubio’s mission began on September 21, 2022, and marked the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, surpassing the previous record. During this extraordinary journey, he completed approximately 5,936 orbits and covered a staggering 157 million miles, equivalent to approximately 328 round trips to the Moon. Rubio also witnessed the arrival and departure of 15 visiting spacecraft during his mission.

Scientific Exploration

Rubio’s extended mission presented a unique opportunity for researchers to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body. These findings will be invaluable as Nasa prepares for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and the eventual exploration of Mars. Throughout his mission, Rubio dedicated numerous hours to conducting scientific experiments, ranging from plant research to physical sciences studies.

New Commander Takes Charge

With the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft’s undocking, Expedition 70 officially began aboard the ISS. The current crew includes Nasa astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen (station commander since September 26), JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub.

The Road Ahead

Some members of Expedition 70 are scheduled to return to Earth in February and March 2024, following a brief handover with the crew of Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. Meanwhile, others, like Kononenko and Chub, will continue their stay aboard the ISS, returning in September 2024.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2023