Exploration 69 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is helped out of the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft just minutes after he and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, landed in a remote location near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. For Rubio, his objective is the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut in history. Rubio, along with Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, closed the hatch to the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft about 12:41 a.m. EDT. Aboard are NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. Exploration 70 officially began aboard the station at the time of undocking with NASA astronauts Loral OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and new station commander Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisov.
Expedition 69 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is helped out of the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft simply minutes after he and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, landed in a remote location near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. For Rubio, his mission is the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut in history.
NASAs Frank Rubio touched down after an unparalleled 371 days in orbit, marking a milestone in American area expedition. His record-setting mission, together with Roscosmos cosmonauts, charts a path for future lunar and Martian endeavors.
After spending an American record-breaking 371 days in space, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio securely arrived on Earth with his crewmates on Wednesday, September 27.
Rubio departed the International Space Station, in addition to Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, at 3:54 a.m. EDT, and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 7:17 a.m. (5:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time), southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.
( From left) NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin landed securely in Kazakhstan after a 371-day spaceflight. Credit: NASA
” Franks record-breaking time in area is not simply a turning point; its a major contribution to our understanding of long-duration space objectives,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our astronauts make amazing sacrifices away from their homes and loved ones to further discovery. NASA is immensely grateful for Franks devoted service to our nation and the invaluable clinical contributions he made on the International Space Station. He embodies the real leader spirit that will lead the way for future exploration to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft, docked to the stations Prichal module, orbits Earth as the team prepares to undock. Rubio, together with Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, closed the hatch to the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft about 12:41 a.m. EDT. The Soyuz spacecraft will undock at 3:54 a.m. from the Prichal module, heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 7:17 a.m. (5:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan. Credit: NASA TV
Rubios Achievements in Space
On September 21, 2022, Rubio released on his very first spaceflight alongside Prokopyev and Petelin. Rubios spaceflight is the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, breaking the record formerly held at 355 days by NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei.
Throughout his mission, Rubio finished approximately 5,936 orbits and a journey of more than 157 million miles, approximately the equivalent of 328 trips to the Moon and back. He witnessed the arrival of 15 checking out spacecraft and the departure of 14 going to spacecraft representing crewed and uncrewed cargo missions.
Rubios extended objective provides scientists the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on humans as the firm plans to go back to the Moon through the Artemis objectives and get ready for exploration of Mars.
The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft undocks from the spaceport stations Prichal module. Aboard are NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. Expedition 70 formally started aboard the station at the time of undocking with NASA astronauts Loral OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and new station commander Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisov. Credit: NASA TELEVISION
The Soyuz Mission Details
Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin introduced aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft but, due to a coolant leak, went back to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-23. The affected Soyuz MS-22 pill returned without its crew after the Soyuz MS-23 capsule was released as a replacement on February 23, 2023.
Following post-landing medical checks, the team will return to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Rubio will then board a NASA plane bound for his go back to Houston.
The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft releases its parachute for landing in Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA TELEVISION
Scientific Contributions and Expedition 70
During his record-breaking mission, Rubio spent numerous hours on scientific activities aboard the space station, carrying out a range of jobs varying from plant research study to physical sciences research studies.
With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft, Expedition 70 formally began aboard the station. NASA astronauts Loral OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli stay aboard the orbital station together with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who became station leader on September 26, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub.
Mogensen, Moghbeli, Furukawa, and Borisov will go back to Earth in February 2024, after a brief handover with the crew of NASAs SpaceX Crew-8 mission. OHara is set up to go back to Earth in March 2024, while Kononenko and Chub will invest a year aboard the station, returning in September 2024.