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Top 10 Astronauts Who Stayed In Space For Longest Time: Space missions have become longer over the years as scientists study how the human body adapts to life beyond Earth. Several astronauts have pushed the boundaries of endurance and technology by spending more than a year in space on a single mission. After spending 437 days on board the Mir space station, Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov now holds the record for the longest spaceflight. Most recently, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio became the longest-duration American astronaut on a single mission after spending 371 days in space.

Some astronauts, like Valeri Polykayov and Frank Rubio, stayed in space for almost a year to support these studies and these long-duration missions assist researchers in understanding the effects of isolation, radiation and microgravity on astronauts, preparing for future deep-space missions to Mars and beyond. 

List Of Top 10 Astronauts Who Spent Longest Time In Space

In this article, we examine the top 10 astronauts who spent the longest time in space on a single mission, along with their amazing journeys.

Astronauts Country Space Agency Mission Start Mission End Duration
Valeri Polyakov Russia  Roscosmos Jan 8, 1994 Mar 22, 1995 437 days
Sergei Avdeyev Russia  Roscosmos Aug 13, 1998 Aug 28, 1999 379 days
Frank Rubio USA  NASA Sep 27, 2023 Sep 27, 2023 371 days
Vladimir Titov & Musa Manarov Russia Roscosmos Dec 21, 1987 Dec 21, 1988 366 days
Mark Vande Hei USA/Russia NASA Apr 9, 2021 Mar 30, 2022 355 days
Scott Kelly & Mikhail Kornienko USA NASA/Roscosmos Mar 27, 2015 Mar 2, 2016 340 days
Christina Koch USA NASA Mar 14, 2019 Feb 6, 2020 328 days
Peggy Whitson USA NASA Nov 17, 2016 Sep 3, 2017 289 days
Sunita Williams USA NASA Jun 5, 2024 Mar 19, 2025 (Expected) 285 days (ongoing) 
Barry "Butch" Wilmore USA NASA Jun 5, 2024 Mar 17, 2025 (Expected) 285 (Ongoing)

 

  • Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest single spaceflight at 437 days, staying aboard the Mir space station.
  • Frank completed 371 days in space due to unexpected delays, making him the longest-duration NASA astronaut on a single mission.
  • Christina Koch set the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days aboard the ISS.
  • Sunita Williams and Hutch Wilmore are currently on an extended mission (expected 285 days) due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.