NASA Astronaut Sets U.S. Spaceflight Record with Yearlong Mission

Frank Rubio’s 355 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station are an American milestone—not bad for his first trip to space.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 05:10 PM ET

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NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, the new record holder for the longest U.S. space mission. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio's initial six-month mission on the International Space Station was unexpectedly extended to 371 days due to damage to his return capsule.
This extended stay establishes new records for Rubio, making him the first American to spend a consecutive year in space and marking the longest single space mission by a NASA astronaut.
Rubio, also the first person of Salvadoran origin to reach space, is scheduled to return on September 27 and anticipates a significant rehabilitation period.

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For a NASA astronaut stranded on the International Space Station for months, there are some silver linings: namely, a pair of U.S. spaceflight records.

Frank Rubio, who departed for the space station on his first astronaut mission in September 2022, now holds the record for the most consecutive days spent aboard the orbital hub, besting the previous mark of 355 days, 3 hours, and 45 minutes set by retired astronaut Mark Vande Hei in 2022, NASA said in a statement on social media. Rubio’s scheduled six-month stay was more than doubled when the capsule that brought him to the space station was damaged.