André launched to ISS on 21 December
Shortly after two o’clock Central European Time today André Kuipers will have spent 50 days in space during the PromISSe mission. Together with NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, André launched to space at 14:15 CET on 21 December.
Added to the 10 days 20 hours that André spent in space during his first visit to the International Space Station for the DELTA mission, his total time in space will stand at nearly 61 days.
How does this total compare to his colleague astronauts and cosmonauts?
Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev holds the all time record for the most amount of time spent in space in total. During his six spaceflights between November 1988 and October 2005, Krikalev has spent a total of just over 803 days in space.
There is also the incredible 437 days and 18 hours spent in space during one mission by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov.
André also has a long way to go to catch up with any records set by his European Astronaut Corps colleagues.
Thomas Reiter has spent 350 days in space
The record for the most time spent in space in total by an ESA astronaut is held by Thomas Reiter and stands at 350 days – that is also the most amount of time spent in space by any non-American or non-Russian.
Today’s milestone places André fourth in the table of longest stays on the International Space Station by ESA astronauts
- Frank De Winne – 187 days 20 hours
- Thomas Reiter – 171 days 3 hours
- Paolo Nespoli – 159 days 7 hours
- André Kuipers – 50 days and counting
- Leopold Eyharts – 48 days 4 hours
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