Extended Stays in Space
NASA Station AstronAut Record Holders
Frank Rubio
371 days in space
Mark Vande Hei
355 days in space
Scott Kelly
340 days in space
Christina Koch
328 days in space
Peggy Whitson
289 days in space
Key Messages
Frank Rubio, Mark Vande Hei, Scott Kelly, Christina Koch, and Peggy Whitson have spent an extended amount of time in space, helping to pave the way for even longer, future exploration missions. Their missions help researchers better understand how the human body adapts to the extreme environment of space for more distant missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The Science Behind Extended Missions
Experiments to Unlock How Human Bodies React to Long Space Journeys
Through Artemis, NASA astronauts are returning to the Moon in preparation for one day going to Mars. To better prepare astronauts…
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Twins Study
The landmark Twins Study brought ten research teams around the country together to observe what physiological, molecular, and cognitive changes could happen to a human from exposure to spaceflight. This was accomplished by comparing retired astronaut Scott Kelly while he was in space, to his identical twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who remained on Earth.
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