NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio Completes Groundbreaking Space Mission

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has made a triumphant return to Earth, experiencing the compelling force of our planet's gravity after an absence spanning more than a year.

Rubio, accompanied by his two Russian counterparts, cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, descended gracefully via parachutes to touch down in Kazakhstan aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft at precisely 5:17 p.m. local time (7:17 a.m. ET) this past Wednesday.

This momentous arrival signaled the conclusion of an unexpectedly extended journey for Rubio. Originally slated for a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, he ultimately completed an astonishing 371 days in space due to the revelation of a coolant leak from his initial space vehicle during its stay at the orbiting outpost.

Rubio's prolonged stay stands as a new benchmark for the longest duration an American astronaut has ever endured in microgravity. Furthermore, he secured the distinction of being the first American to complete a full calendar year in orbit.

This remarkable mission also brought about several significant firsts for Rubio. It marked his maiden voyage to space following his selection into NASA's astronaut corps in 2017. At the mission's onset, he became the inaugural astronaut of Salvadoran heritage to venture into the low-Earth orbit.

During a recent conversation with CNN, Rubio candidly acknowledged that, had he foreseen the doubling of his original mission duration, he "likely would have declined" the assignment due to pressing family commitments. He expressed, "These past 12 months have been filled with pivotal family events, and had I known I'd have to forgo those important moments, I would have politely declined."

Now, Rubio, a devoted father of four, is set to commence his journey homeward from the Soyuz spacecraft's landing site near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan. His route includes a flight to Karaganda, located approximately 330 miles (530 kilometers) northeast of Dzhezkazgan, before connecting to a flight bound for Houston.

In total, Rubio and his fellow astronauts traversed a staggering 157.4 million miles (253.3 million kilometers) and completed an impressive 5,963 revolutions around the Earth, as reported by NASA.

Rubio's feat eclipsed the previous record for the longest space sojourn by a U.S. astronaut, a record of 355 days set by NASA's Mark Vande Hei in 2022.

The world record for the lengthiest space stay is still held by the late Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who accomplished an extraordinary 437 consecutive days in orbit aboard Russia's Mir space station between January 1994 and March 1995.

The cooperation between the United States and Russia in the realm of space exploration facilitated Rubio's journey. He traveled to the space station via a Russian spacecraft as part of a ride-sharing arrangement solidified between NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, in the summer of 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This seat-swapping arrangement aimed to uphold longstanding policies ensuring access to the space station for both nations. Such agreements enable the primary operators of the space station, the United States and Russia, to surmount spacecraft issues that might otherwise impede their astronauts' missions.

Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin embarked on their voyage aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft on September 21, 2022, and safely reached the ISS three hours later, leaving the Soyuz capsule affixed to the space station's exterior as they embarked on their duties within the orbiting laboratory.

During an interview with reporters last week, Rubio conveyed heartfelt gratitude to his family, acknowledging that their unwavering "resilience and strength have carried me through this entire mission."

 

Source: cnn.com