Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, 59 has achieved a historic milestone, breaking the world record for the most cumulative time spent in space. At 0830 GMT, Kononenko has surpassed his compatriot Gennady Padalka's previous record of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds, with more than 878 days and 12 hours in space, as confirmed by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos,
Kononenko has made five journeys to the International Space Station (ISS) since 2008.
He expressed his passion for space exploration in an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS from the International Space Station (ISS) where he is orbiting about 263 miles (423 km) from the earth, stating, "I fly into space to do my favourite thing, not to set records."
He said, "Since I was a child, I've harboured dreams of becoming a cosmonaut. The allure of space travel, the chance to inhabit and operate in orbit, continues to fuel my desire to explore."
“I am proud of all my achievements, but I am more proud that the record for the total duration of human stay in space is still held by a Russian cosmonaut."
Photo: IFL Science
His current expedition to the ISS, which began on September 15, 2023, alongside NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and Roscosmos cosmonaut Nikolai Chub, is expected to mark another milestone.
By the end of this mission, Kononenko is poised to become the first person to accumulate 1,000 days in space by June 5, and is set to surpass 1,110 days by late September.
Reflecting on life in space, Kononenko said that he regularly worked out, to counter the physical effects of "insidious" weightlessness, but that it was on returning to earth that the realisation came of how much life he had missed out on. He said he does not feel deprived or isolated.
Photo: EuroNews
He added, "The profession of a cosmonaut is becoming more complicated. The systems and experiments are becoming more complicated. I repeat, the preparation has not become easier.”
Despite ongoing disputes, NASA and Russia’s Roscosmos maintain their collaboration on the International Space Station (ISS). A joint missions, cross-flight program transporting Astronauts to the ISS has been extended until 2025.
(Inputs from Agencies)
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