U.S. astronaut Frank Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts have successfully landed in Kazakhstan after spending over a year on the International Space Station (ISS). Rubio broke the record for the longest continuous space flight by an American, surpassing the previous record set by retired U.S. astronaut Mark Vande Hei. The crew members’ Soyuz MS-23 capsule undocked from the ISS slightly earlier than planned and took around three and a half hours to reach Earth. Upon landing, Rubio expressed his joy at being back and reported that all the crew members were in excellent condition. Rubio was given a Russian matryoshka doll as a gift, while one of the Russian cosmonauts requested a watermelon, which he held upon landing.
Rubio and his colleagues experienced an extended mission of 371 days in orbit due to a leak in their original spacecraft, which required a replacement to be sent. Although Rubio broke the American record for continuous space flight, the world record is still held by Russia’s Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 consecutive days and 18 hours on the Mir space station. Rubio, a board-certified family physician and flight surgeon, stated that it would take months for him to fully recover his balance and strength after an extended stay in microgravity. He also mentioned looking forward to the tranquility of his backyard, in contrast to the constant noise on the ISS.
In summary, U.S. astronaut Frank Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts have safely returned to Earth after spending over a year on the International Space Station. Rubio set a new American record for the longest continuous space flight, surpassing the previous record set by another American astronaut. Due to a leak in their initial spacecraft, the crew members experienced an unexpectedly extended mission. They landed in Kazakhstan and were found to be in good health upon arrival. Rubio received a matryoshka doll as a gift, while one of the Russian cosmonauts requested a watermelon upon landing. Rubio highlighted the need for several months of recovery to regain his balance and strength after adapting to microgravity.