Following the safe return of stranded astronauts, attention has turned to the record-holders for the longest space missions in history. Over the decades, astronauts and cosmonauts have spent extended periods in microgravity, pushing the boundaries of human endurance in space.
The record for the longest continuous spaceflight belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days and 18 hours aboard the Mir space station from 1994 to 1995. His mission provided invaluable data on the effects of long-duration space travel on the human body.
Another notable record-holder is Sergei Krikalev, who holds the record for the most cumulative time in space for a cosmonaut, spending 803 days across multiple missions. For NASA, Peggy Whitson holds the record for the longest cumulative time in space by an American astronaut, with 675 days across several missions.
The return of the latest crew highlights the challenges of extended space missions, particularly as space agencies prepare for future Mars explorations. Long-term exposure to microgravity, radiation, and psychological isolation remains a major concern for space travellers.
As technology advances, astronauts are expected to spend even longer durations in orbit, with planned missions to the Moon and Mars requiring extended stays in space. With each mission, scientists gain deeper insights into how the human body adapts to life beyond Earth, paving the way for future interplanetary exploration.
With human spaceflight continually evolving, new records are likely to be set in the coming decades as astronauts push the limits of space endurance.
