Oleg Kononenko, a Russian Cosmonaut, Breaks the Record For the Longest Duration in Space

According to a report released on Sunday by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has surpassed the global record for the most total time spent in space.

The 59-year-old Russian has now surpassed fellow countryman Gennady Padalka, who established the previous record in 2015 with 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds, by spending more than 878 days and 12 hours in space.

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

In an interview with Russian, the engineer said that although being a cosmonaut was a dream come true, every mission to the ISS required meticulous planning because of the station’s ongoing modifications.

“I fly into space to do what I love, not to set records. I’ve dreamt of and aspired to become a cosmonaut since I was a child. That interest — the opportunity to fly into space, to live and work in orbit — motivates me to continue flying,” he told.

On September 15, 2023, Kononenko launched to the International Space Station (ISS) with fellow Russian astronaut Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara. The cosmonaut is anticipated to become the first person to reach 1,000 days in space by the end of this voyage.

One of the few areas where the United States and Russia continue to work closely together after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022 is the International Space Station. The cross-flight program that Roscosmos and NASA use to carry humans to the International Space Station was extended until 2025, the company stated in December.