NASA astronaut Frank Rubio along with his crew members has made history by returning to Earth after a 371 day mission in space.
Rubio’s journey back to our planet commenced when he left the International Space Station (ISS) accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. Their descent was flawlessly executed, aided by parachutes. They safely landed at 7;17 a.m. (5;17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) in an area southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.
Initially planned as a 180 day mission, Rubio’s space adventure unexpectedly extended to 371 days surpassing the NASA record held by Mark Vande Hei by over two weeks. It’s worth noting that Russia holds the record for space endurance with a 437 day mission achieved during the mid 1990s.
Frank Rubio’s prolonged stay in space provides data and insights into the long term effects of space travel on both the body and mind. NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration with astronauts like Rubio making contributions to our understanding of extended missions beyond Earth. As Rubio and his fellow crew members safely return home, their remarkable journey stands as a testament to the resilience and dedication of those who venture beyond our planet’s boundaries in pursuit of knowledge and exploration.