The NASA astronaut is eagerly anticipating the comforting embrace of family, along with moments of tranquility, after spending a full year in space.

The NASA astronaut is eagerly anticipating the comforting embrace of family, along with moments of tranquility, after spending a full year in space.

Benjamin Hughes


Had NASA inquired earlier, astronaut Frank Rubio may have declined the opportunity to spend a complete year on the International Space Station. However, due to complications with their Soyuz ferry ship, his crew was forced to prolong their initial six-month mission to a full 12 months.

Rubio stated to reporters on Tuesday that if he had been asked beforehand about training for a year or two for his mission, he would have likely said no. He and his two Soyuz crewmates are set to return to Earth in eight days. The rejection would have been difficult, but he would have declined nonetheless.

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Floating in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module of the International Space Station, astronaut Frank Rubio responds to inquiries from journalists regarding his prolonged one-year journey. NASA TV

He mentioned that the reason for this was solely due to his family and their circumstances throughout the previous year. He then added that if he had been aware of the significance of those events, he would have politely declined.

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William Harwood

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Bill Harwood has been reporting on the American space program non-stop since 1984, initially as the bureau chief for United Press International at Cape Canaveral and currently as a consultant for CBS News. He has reported on 129 space shuttle missions, all interplanetary flights since Voyager 2’s passing of Neptune, and numerous commercial and military launches. Harwood is stationed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and has a strong passion for amateur astronomy. He also co-authored the book “Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia.”

Source: cbsnews.com