Space flights: Russian cosmonaut breaks World Record

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko achieved a historic milestone on Sunday by setting a world record for the most cumulative time spent in space.

Surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka, who logged over 878 days in orbit, Kononenko’s achievement was confirmed by Russia’s space corporation.

At 08:30 GMT, Kononenko officially broke the record, as reported by Roscosmos. Anticipated to reach a remarkable 1,000 days in space on June 5, he is projected to surpass this milestone by late September, accumulating a total of 1,110 days.

“I fly into space to do my favourite thing, not to set records. 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.” Kononenko told TASS in an interview from the International Space Station (ISS), where he is orbiting about 263 miles (423 km) from the earth.

The 59-year-old took the top spot from Padalka, who accumulated a total of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds before retiring in 2017, Roscosmos said.

Life in space

Kononenko revealed that he diligently engaged in regular workouts to combat the physical impacts of the “insidious” weightlessness. However, the true realization of how much life he had missed out on dawned upon him upon returning to Earth.

“I do not feel deprived or isolated. It is only upon returning home that the realisation comes that for hundreds of days in my absence the children have been growing up without a papa. No one will return this time to me,” he said.

Kononenko noted that advancements in technology have made it easier for cosmonauts to stay connected with relatives through video calls and messaging. However, he also highlighted that the preparation process for each new space flight has become more complex due to these technological advances.

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“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,” he said.

Kononenko, serving as the commander of the Russian space agency Roscosmos cosmonaut corps, is currently undertaking his fifth space mission. Upon concluding the ongoing expedition, slated for September 23, he will have accumulated a total of 1,110 days in space.

Initiating his training at the age of 34, Kononenko joined the group of cosmonauts selected for the International Space Station (ISS) program, as stated on the European Space Agency’s website.

Kononenko dreamed of going to space as a child and enrolled in an engineering institute before undergoing cosmonaut training. His first space flight was in 2008.

He was a part of the 17th main expedition of the ISS. He successfully returned to Earth on October 24, 2008, as reported by the Interfax news agency. His current trip to the ISS was launched last year on a Soyuz MS-24.

The ISS stands out as one of the rare international projects where the United States and Russia maintain close cooperation. In December, Roscosmos announced the extension of a cross-flight program with NASA to the ISS, now slated to continue until 2025.

Relations in various spheres between the two nations have deteriorated since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago. In response, Washington has supplied arms to Kyiv and imposed successive sanctions on Moscow.