A ‘lucky’ astronaut who achieved a feat in space

NASA astronaut record-holder Frank Rubio, an American, is thankful for his long stay on the International Space Station (ISS). During this period, he undertook scientific research and experienced some of the most impressive scenes of his life.

Rubio, who is of Salvadoran descent, agreed to extend his time on the ISS by another six months in a conversation he held with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pamela Melroy at the space agency’s headquarters in Washington. Unexpectedly, he nevertheless considered himself “lucky”.

Last Monday, Rubio, who spent 355 days, 3 hours and 45 minutes in space, surpassing the previous record held by Mark Vande Hey, said he had the opportunity to be a part of groundbreaking research on the ISS. , such as the cultivation of the first tomato grown in space or the first 3D printing of human tissue.

“I consider myself very blessed with every experiment we’ve done here,” admitted the 47-year-old astronaut and member of Expedition 69, who will return home later this month aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.

In response to Nelson’s question, the astronaut pointed out that the support of his family was vital to maintaining a positive attitude during his long stay in space. Children..

“Communication is important,” the astronaut noted, especially when video conferencing became common, and after Nelson pointed out that this fluidity regarding conversations with family members was not common during the space shuttle era.

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Escape that leads to achievement

Rubio will make his first space flight on September 21, 2022 aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft for a six-month mission to the ISS with cosmonauts Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitry Petalin.

However, last December, Russian mission controllers confirmed the spacecraft’s external cooling system was losing pressure, and later confirmed an ammonia leak.

Technicians decided that Soyuz MS-22, which was docked at the ISS, was no longer safe to return to Earth, a situation that led to the three crew members remaining in the orbiting lab for another 180 days. .

Rubio’s arrival is scheduled for Sept. 27, when he will complete 371 days in orbit and become the first American and one of only seven to spend a year or more in space.

Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov spent 437 days aboard the Mir station between 1994 and 1995, setting the record for the longest time a man has spent in space.

Rubio, who was born in Los Angeles and was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2017, acknowledged Nelson and Melroy’s pride in representing NASA and the Latino community, reflecting the benefits of the United States.

“This will allow us to address complex issues related to space exploration in the future,” said the astronaut, as happened on the first mission, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States, which is celebrated between September 15 and September 15. October 15.

Rubio showed his faith in what the new, increasingly diverse American generations have to contribute: “The nation will be in good hands,” he asserted.

With information from EFE

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