On Sunday, Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, announced that Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has surpassed the world record for the longest total time spent in space.

The individual, aged 59, has been in space for a total of 878 days and 12 hours, surpassing the previous record of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds set by Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka in 2015.

Kononenko has completed five trips to the International Space Station, starting in 2008.

In an interview with Russian state news agency TASS, the engineer stated that every journey to the ISS involved extensive planning because of the station’s frequent improvements. However, they also mentioned that being a cosmonaut fulfilled a lifelong aspiration.

“I embark on space missions driven by my passion, not for the purpose of achieving records. Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed and aspired to become a cosmonaut. The opportunity to travel through space and live and work in orbit is what fuels my motivation to keep flying,” he stated in an interview with TASS.

Kononenko’s current trip to the ISS began on Sept. 15, 2023, when he launched alongside NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and Roscosmos compatriot Nikolai Chub. By the end of this expedition, the cosmonaut is expected to become the first person to accumulate 1,000 days in space.

In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States and Russia continue to work together in the International Space Station. In December, Roscosmos confirmed that their joint program with NASA, which brings astronauts to the ISS, will continue until 2025.

Source: wral.com