NASA’s Frank Rubio sets record for the longest U.S. spaceflight

AP PHOTO/DMITRI LOVETSKY, POOL

From left, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, crew members of the mission to the International Space Station (ISS), walk to the rocket prior the launch of Soyuz-2.1 rocket, at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. The three are expected to return to Earth on Wednesday, Sept; 27, 2023, after being stuck in space for just over a year after their original capsule was hit by space junk. The 180-day mission turned into a 371-day stay.

NASA VIA AP

In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Frank Rubio peers out of a window aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. Rubio was observing the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft, carrying four SpaceX Crew-5 crew members, approach the orbital lab for a docking to the Harmony module's forward port. Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin are expected to return to Earth on Wednesday, Sept; 27, after being stuck in space for just over a year after their original capsule was hit by space junk. The 180-day mission turned into a 371-day stay.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, a Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule descends about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule lies on the ground shortly after the landing about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin sits in a chair shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, rescue team members carry NASA astronaut Frank Rubio shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is helped out of the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft just minutes after he and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio sits in chairs shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio sits in chair shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

ROSCOSMOS SPACE CORPORATION VIA AP

In this photo taken from video released by Roscosmos space corporation, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio sits in chair shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-23 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Sept. 27. The Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin, touched down on Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is carried to a medical tent shortly after Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin and Sergey Prokopyev landed in their Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.

BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA AP

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio left, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, center, and Dmitri Petelin sit in chairs outside the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft after they landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 27. The extended mission means that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for longest spaceflight by an American.