Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko made history on Sunday by setting a world record for the longest time spent in space. His cumulative time outside Earth’s atmosphere surpassed 878 days and 12 hours, marking nearly two and a half years in space.
The 59-year-old cosmonaut exceeded the achievement of his fellow Russian, Gennady Padalka, who spent a total of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds in space during five space missions before retiring in 2017.
The cosmonaut marked the accomplishment while aboard the International Space Station. “I venture into space to pursue my passion, not to break records. Since childhood, I’ve dreamed of becoming a cosmonaut, and that interest, the chance to journey into space, reside, and work in orbit, keeps me inspired to continue flying,” he shared with the Russian news agency TASS.
Commander Oleg Kononenko, leading the Russian space agency Roscosmos cosmonaut corps, is undertaking his fifth space mission. Commencing the current mission to the International Space Station on September 15, 2023, he is joined by Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara.
On June 5 of this year, he will mark a historic milestone by completing 1,000 days in space, becoming the first person to achieve this remarkable feat. Additionally, by the conclusion of his ongoing expedition trip on September 23, he will have spent a total of 1,110 days in space.
