Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, 59, has become the first human to spend a total of 1,000 days in space.

Kononenko achieved this milestone during his fifth mission as commander of the International Space Station, which began in September 2023.

He is accompanied on this mission by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and Nikolai Chub.

Kononenko has surpassed the previous record set by Gennady Padalka, having logged 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds in space.

His current mission is scheduled to conclude on September 23, 2024, potentially bringing his total time in orbit to 1,110 days.

The collaboration between the United States and Russia on the ISS continues to be strong, with Roscosmos extending the cross-flight program until 2025.

Kononenko's dedication to space exploration has been praised by his American counterparts, emphasizing the valuable insights gained from his extended stays in orbit.