Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set a record – 1000 days in space | The science

Today is a historic day of space exploration. By midnight on June 5 in Moscow, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko will have spent an impressive 1,000 days in space. This milestone was achieved after surpassing the previous record of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds, set by his compatriot Gennady Padalka. Kononenko, 59, is currently on his fifth flight to the International Space Station (ISS), where he has set a new record and will continue to do so for over three more months. When he returns to Earth on September 23, he will leave it in 1,110 days.

The Russian cosmonaut first flew to the station in April 2008 as part of Expedition 16 and has since completed seven spacewalks, spending 44 and a half hours outside the spacecraft. Kononenko not only made history with his time in space, he also has a vision for the future of space exploration now that major world powers are considering permanent bases on the Moon or travel to Mars. In statements to the TASS agency after his victory over Padalka, Kononenko expressed his desire to build a station that would be a “real space home,” larger and more comfortable and less dependent on Earth. To achieve this goal, Kononenko, who knows what he is talking about better than anyone, recommended improving systems for water regeneration, oxygen supply and space debris processing. These improvements could make life in space more sustainable and comfortable for future astronauts. Throughout his career, he demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to space exploration.

Although NASA is very good at promoting its achievements and in many cases leading the way in space exploration, when it comes to being in space, Russian cosmonauts are superior. In September 2023, Frank Rubio returned to Earth after 371 days in space after his stay in orbit was extended due to the failure of the capsule that was supposed to bring him back. He is the American with the longest orbital flight, but is still far behind Russian Valery Polyakov, who spent 437 days at MIR between 1994 and 1995 and holds the record for longest stay. He stayed there long enough to make a round trip to Mars, and said that during all the time spent away from family and friends, he had lows at the beginning and end of the mission.

The length of stay of these Russian cosmonauts is important to control the psychological aspects of long trips. Polyakov, who died in 2022, was a doctor who studied the influence of space on human physiology. Other consequences of moving too long from the Earth’s surface is the loss of muscle mass, more than 1% of bone minerals for each month spent in space. Upon return to Earth, intensive restoration work is required, which may take years to complete. In addition to the increased risk of fractures, an increased risk of cancer due to exposure to cosmic radiation and even problems with erectile dysfunction have been found. This information, accumulated through trips like Kononenko’s, will be used to develop strategies that will alleviate the problems humans will face in setting up permanent bases on the Moon or making their first trip to Mars.

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