Three Astronauts Return To Earth After Year In Space, NASA’s Frank Rubio Sets Space Record
September 27, 2023 9:08AM AKDT

This image provided by NASA shows astronaut Frank Rubio floating inside the cupola, the International Space Station’s “window to the world.” Rubio now holds the record for the longest U.S. spaceflight. Rubio surpassed the U.S. record of 355 days on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 at the International Space Station. He arrived at the outpost last September with two Russians for a routine six months. (NASA via AP)
(Associated Press) – A NASA astronaut and two Russians are back on Earth after being stuck in space for just over a year.
The trio landed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, descending in a Soyuz capsule that was rushed up as a replacement.
The extended mission means that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.
Rubio and his crewmates should have returned last spring from the International Space Station, but their flight ended up being doubled in length after their original capsule was hit by space junk and leaked all its coolant.
The world record for a single spaceflight is 14 1/2 months, held by Russia.
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