NASA Astronauts Land on Earth After Yearlong Stay in Space
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts landed safely in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, after spending more than a year in space. The Soyuz spacecraft carrying the crew landed on the steppe at 7:17 a.m. Eastern time, exactly on schedule.
Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin were originally scheduled to return to Earth in March 2023, but their mission was extended due to the war in Ukraine. The Russian space agency Roscosmos was unable to send a replacement crew to the International Space Station (ISS) until September, due to sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other countries.
Despite the extension, Rubio and his crewmates say they are grateful for the opportunity to have spent so much time in space.
"It was an amazing experience," Rubio said in a post-landing interview. "I learned so much, and I'm so proud of what we were able to accomplish."
During their mission, Rubio and his crewmates conducted a variety of scientific experiments, including research on the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body. They also helped to maintain and operate the ISS, and they performed several spacewalks to conduct repairs and maintenance on the station's exterior.
Rubio's return to Earth marks the end of the longest single spaceflight in NASA history. He spent 371 days in orbit, surpassing the previous record of 355 days set by Mark Vande Hei in 2022.
Rubio and his crewmates will now undergo a period of medical evaluation and rehabilitation. Once they have been cleared by doctors, they will return to their homes and families.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program is a partnership between NASA and private companies SpaceX and Boeing to develop and operate commercial spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft has been in operation since 2020, and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to begin flights to the ISS in 2023.
The Commercial Crew Program has ended NASA's reliance on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for transportation to and from the ISS. This has given NASA more flexibility and independence in its human spaceflight program.
The Future of Human Spaceflight
NASA is planning to return astronauts to the Moon in the next few years, as part of the Artemis program. The Artemis program is also the first step in NASA's long-term goal of sending astronauts to Mars.
The Commercial Crew Program is playing a key role in NASA's plans for future human spaceflight. SpaceX and Boeing are developing new spacecraft that will be capable of transporting astronauts to the Moon and Mars.
The landing of NASA astronauts Frank Rubio, Sergey Prokopyev, and Dmitri Petelin on Earth marks a new chapter in human spaceflight. The Commercial Crew Program is giving NASA the flexibility and independence it needs to achieve its ambitious goals for the future.