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Russian cosmonaut breaks record on space deployment

February 4, 2024

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has logged over 878 days in orbit over five deployments, setting a new world record, according to Russia's space agency Roskosmos.

https://p.dw.com/p/4c1iW
Oleg Kononenko I Russischer Kosmonaut - Weltrekord für die längste Zeit im Weltraum
Kononenko broke the record while at the International Space StationImage: Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images

Russia has maintained the world record for total time spent in space, with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko logging over 878 days in orbit, Russia's space corporation announced on Sunday.

Roscosmos said Kononenko broke the record set by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka on Sunday morning.

"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 was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency quoted him as saying.

Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, right, and Nikolai Chub conduct a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023.
Kononenko (right) broke the world record set by fellow Russian cosmonaut Gennady PadalkaImage: Roscosmos Space Corporation/AP/picture alliance

What do we know about Kononenko?

The 59-year-old Kononenko broke the record while at the International Space Station (ISS), where he has been since September last year.

He is expected to reach 1,000 days in space on June 5.

"I fly into space to do my favorite thing, not to set records," Kononenko told TASS.

The ISS is among the few remaining international projects where the US continues to cooperate closely with Russia, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Last December, Roscosmos announced the extension of a cross-flight program with NASA to the ISS until 2025.

Russia launches its first moon mission in nearly 50 years

rmt/dj (dpa, Reuters)