Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko Breaks World Record for Longest Space Mission

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has broken the world record for total time spent in space, logging over 878 days in orbit, surpassing the previous record set by fellow Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka. Kononenko achieved this milestone while at the International Space Station and is expected to reach 1,000 days in space on June 5. Despite geopolitical tensions, the ISS remains a key international project where the US and Russia continue to cooperate closely, as evidenced by the extension of a cross-flight program with NASA until 2025.