 "Who has spent the most time aboard ISS? Meet 4 NASA astronauts who outlasted Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore")
synopsis
Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka holds the crown for the longest cumulative time spent in space. Over the course of five missions, he accumulated a staggering 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds aboard the ISS.
NASA has confirmed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months due to technical issues with their Starliner spacecraft, will return to Earth in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
The two astronauts, originally on a 10-day mission, following their June 5, 2024 launch, found themselves unable to return after their Boeing Starliner capsule experienced propulsion malfunctions. Their return is now set to take place aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which successfully docked at the ISS on Sunday. They will be joined by Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Both Williams and Wilmore left their lasting marks on the space community, but there are four astronauts whose extended missions have pushed the boundaries of human endurance in space.
Who holds the record of longest stay in space?
Gennady Padalka
Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka holds the crown for the longest cumulative time spent in space. Over the course of five missions, he accumulated a staggering 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds aboard the ISS. His extended stays aboard the spacecraft have made him a legend in the annals of space exploration, far surpassing both Williams’ and Wilmore’s records.
Padalka's journey highlights the resilience required for long-duration missions, making him a central figure in human spaceflight history.
Yuri Malenchenko
Another Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Malenchenko, also boasts impressive time spent in orbit. With 827 days in space, he ranks among the longest-serving astronauts in history.
Malenchenko's multiple spaceflights and pivotal roles aboard the ISS have placed him in the upper echelons of space exploration, surpassing the previous records held by Williams and Wilmore. His legacy of space endurance remains a beacon for future generations of astronauts.
Sergei Krikalev
Sergei Krikalev, another notable Russian cosmonaut, is known for his extraordinary contributions to space science and his impressive 803 days, 9 hours, and 39 minutes in space. Krikalev’s multiple space missions, including long-duration stays aboard the Mir space station and the ISS, solidified his place in history.
His achievements go beyond just time spent in orbit; his work as a space engineer and his contributions to maintaining long-term space station operations have been pivotal.
Mikhail Kornienko
Mikhail Kornienko, who served aboard the ISS as part of the "One-Year Mission" in 2015-2016, spent an astonishing 334 days in space during his mission with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. Though his time spent on the ISS does not surpass the records of Padalka, Malenchenko, or Krikalev, it still places him among the astronauts with significant space station tenure, far beyond the individual missions of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Kornienko's contributions to long-term space research have been invaluable, particularly in studying the effects of prolonged space travel on the human body.
Williams and Wilmore’s Impact
Sunita Williams spent a total of 322 days, 17 hours, and 40 minutes in space, with her time in orbit contributing to groundbreaking research in fields like space medicine and physical science.
Wilmore’s stay, although shorter had a cumulative total of 178 days in orbit from his two previous space missions.
NASA confirms astronauts' return date to Earth
Nasa stated that the ocean splashdown is expected to occur near the Florida coast at approximately 5:57 pm ET on Tuesday (2157 GMT and 3:27 am IST on March 19). The return was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was moved up to ensure better weather conditions for the landing.
"The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favourable weather conditions expected for later in the week," Nasa said in a statement.
NASA said, "NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are completing a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory and will return time-sensitive research to Earth."
"Mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon’s undocking depends on various factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return," it added.
The arrival of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is part of Nasa's routine crew rotation mission, but this flight took on added urgency as it became the long-awaited means of returning Williams and Wilmore to Earth.
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