NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio Sets New Milestone With 371-Day Space Mission

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has returned to the Earth concluding an extraordinary 371-day space mission, making a new record.

On Wednesday, Rubio, along with two Russian companions, cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, safely descended to Earth in Kazakhstan via the Russian Soyuz MS-23 capsule.

Initially designated for a half-year stint on the International Space Station, the stay extended to a staggering 371 days, when a coolant leak was discovered on the initial ride while docked to the orbital station.

Rubio's prolonged stay in microgravity not only established a new record for the longest duration spent by a US astronaut in this environment but also marked him as the first American to complete a full calendar year in orbit.

However, the record of the longest duration in space remains with the late Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days aboard Russia's Mir space station from January 1994 to March 1995.