This is a record that NASA astronaut Frank Rubio never intended to break.
When Rubio and two Russian astronauts left for the International Space Station last September, Rubio thought he would be home in six months. But then, the Soyuz spacecraft sprang a leak, and Rubio’s ride home was sent back to empty Earth.
His time stranded in space means Rubio has now broken the US record for the longest solo space flight.
The previous record – 355 days – was held by NASA’s Mark Vande Hei. Rubio, a medical doctor and former Army helicopter pilot and skydiver who grew up in Miami, became one of six people to spend an entire year in space.
The extended stay means more time for spacewalks and zero gravity flips. But it also means he’ll be away from his wife and four children and miss out on important family milestones.
“Yeah, you can’t really compensate for them, right? You know, but look at birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and my wife, my kids. They’ve been troopers and they’ve really handled it incredibly well. It is,” Rubio said.
When Rubio finally reaches space in a replacement capsule on Sept. 27, he will have spent 371 days in space – the most in a single space flight for an American. The all-time record for the longest space flight is 437 days held by the late Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov.
After being in the classroom for more than a year, Rubio says he’s actually looking forward to taking a shower.
“Also just the smell of the earth. Being outside and smelling the grass and trees. Just going for a walk or something. Again, it doesn’t smell bad here at the station, but you miss that natural outdoor smell more.” Let’s do anything,'” Rubio said.
The smell of earth, and – with a new record – the taste of success.