Cosmic champions: The astronauts setting records beyond Earth’s atmosphere


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko took a giant leap into the history books this month after setting a remarkable record for the longest time spent in space.

He joined an elite band of space travellers who have achieved stellar feats in pursuit of unravelling the mysteries of life beyond Earth.

Each record helps shed light on life in space and contributes to the advancement of science, with the “longest stay in space” allowing more extensive research on how microgravity impacts the human body.

The investigations are crucial for future extended missions, such as trips to Mars and beyond.

Here, The National lists some of the record-breaking achievements of these galactic pioneers and the history-setting moments that await future heroes.

First human in space

Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first man in space on April 12, 1961. He was 27 years old.

His spacecraft, Vostok 1, completed an orbit of the Earth within 108 minutes, marking a major milestone in space exploration and making the cosmonaut an international hero.

At the time, the US and the former Soviet Union were in a space race, with engineers working countless hours to get their countryman to orbit first.

Alan Shepard, became the first American in space just weeks after Mr Gagarin, on May 5, 1961.

First woman in space

The Soviets beat the Americans again in the race to get the first woman in space.

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first female in orbit on June 16, 1963, and circled the Earth 48 times, spending about three days in space.

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, during preparations for her flight on Vostok-6 on June 16, 1963. Getty
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, during preparations for her flight on Vostok-6 on June 16, 1963. Getty

She became a symbol of female achievement in a male-dominated field and helped to inspire more women astronauts.

Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in space on June 18, 1983.

First human landing on the Moon

With the success of the Soviet space programme and the continuing Cold War, Nasa was under pressure to achieve a Moon landing.

The Soviets had achieved several firsts in space exploration, including the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in 1961 and the first human in orbit – all which helped to place the nation as a leader in the field.

In 1962, US President John F Kennedy committed the nation to landing a human on the Moon before the end of the decade, with his famous speech, saying: “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

The Apollo programme was then created, with the Apollo 11 mission that helped astronaut Neil Armstrong become the first man to step foot on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, where he famously declared: “That’s one step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Buzz Aldrin joined him shortly after, while Michael Collins stayed in the command module.

Only the Americans have landed humans on the Moon, but no one has been back since the last Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Longest stay on the Moon

Apollo 17 astronauts hold the record for the longest stay on the Moon, at 75 hours.

There is renewed interest for humans to stay longer on the surface and to send the first woman there.

Longest moonwalk

Apollo 17 astronauts secured another achievement, the longest moonwalk.

Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent seven hours and 37 minutes outside their lunar module.

UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan met the Apollo 17 astronauts in Abu Dhabi in 1976, which played an important role in the nation's space ambitions. Photo: Al Ittihad archive.
UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan met the Apollo 17 astronauts in Abu Dhabi in 1976, which played an important role in the nation's space ambitions. Photo: Al Ittihad archive.

Longest time in space

The Russian programme has become less prominent in the modern space race, mostly because of financial limitations.

But as a partner country of the International Space Station with a still reliable ride to orbit, the Soyuz, cosmonauts have access to space.

And on February 4, Kononenko became a record-breaker, having spent a cumulative time of more than 878 days and 12 hours in space.

The 59-year-old cosmonaut beat his countryman Gennady Padalka’s record of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds set in 2015.

Kononenko has been on five missions to the International Space Station since 2008 and is currently on board the orbiting laboratory.

By the end of this expedition, he will have completed 1,000 days in space.

Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest single space flight at 437 days and 18 hours, which he set aboard the Mir space station in the mid-1990s.

Longest stay in space by a woman

Nasa was dominated by men in the first space race, but today women are making landmark achievements.

Astronaut Christina Koch set the world record for the longest single space flight by a woman in 2020 when she completed 328 consecutive days aboard the space station.

She beat Peggy Whitson’s record of 289 days, which she had set in 2019.

Ms Koch fell 12 days short of co-worker Scott Kelly, who had held the US record for the longest space flight.

Astronaut Frank Rubio currently holds the US record for the longest consecutive time in space, at 371 days.

His mission was originally only for six months but was extended by another 180 days.

Longest spacewalk

Nasa astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms broke the world record for the longest spacewalk on March 10, 2001, with their walk taking eight hours and 56 minutes.

Astronauts Pierre Thuot, Richard Hieb and Thomas Akers held the previous record of eight hours and 29 minutes in 1992.

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who is now Minister of State for Youth Affairs, became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk in 2023 when he spent almost seven hours outside the ISS carrying out maintenance work.

First all-women spacewalk

In October 2019, an all-female spacewalk took place when Nasa astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir ventured outside the ISS for more than seven hours.

It was a significant achievement and highlighted the growing role of women in space exploration.

After their venture, the women wrote a Washington Post op-ed expressing their aims to remove “faulty stereotypes built up by decades of limited-size spacesuits”.

They emphasised the importance of their technicians and trainers, who enabled them to safely execute their tasks.

First space tourist

American engineer and entrepreneur Dennis Tito reportedly paid $20 million to fly to the space station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft in 2001.

He spent nearly eight days in orbit as the first space tourist.

First person to fly untethered in space

In 1984, Nasa’s Bruce McCandless became the first astronaut to float untethered in space using a special spacesuit, called the Manned Manoeuvring Unit.

Bruce McCandless was the first astronaut to fly untethered in space, outside the Space Shuttle on February 7, 1984. Photo: Nasa
Bruce McCandless was the first astronaut to fly untethered in space, outside the Space Shuttle on February 7, 1984. Photo: Nasa

He ventured up to about 95 metres away from the Space Shuttle, creating an iconic image of human space exploration.

The records still to come:

First person on a commercial space station

The ISS has been a pivotal platform for advancing space exploration and serving as a laboratory for microgravity research and a test bed for technologies.

But, as the structure ages and becomes too expensive for space agencies, the focus has shifted to commercialising low-Earth orbit and retiring the space station.

Companies such as Axiom Space, Blue Origin and Nanoracks are racing to build the first private station in orbit.

The first person who enters it will float their way into the record books.

First human on a lunar-orbiting station

Space agencies are now focusing on building a station that orbits the Moon and returning humans to the surface.

Nasa has plans to build the Moon-orbiting station Lunar Gateway, with other space agencies from the UAE, Europe, Canada and Japan who will help to develop it.

It will be a history-making moment when an astronaut enters the station, or when the first human since the 1970s sets foot on the Moon.

First human to land on Mars

While space agencies and companies hope to create a human presence on the Moon, the ultimate goal is to launch rockets from there so astronauts can travel to Mars.

The UAE has ambitious plans to build a settlement on the Red Planet by 2117.

The US and China have rovers and orbiters operating on Mars so they can gather data on the planet.

Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Western University in Canada, told The National that sending humans there would help scientists understand the planet much better.

“The amount of ground that a rover covers in many years can be accomplished by astronauts within a few days,” said Mr Osinski, who has been selected by Nasa for the Artemis 3 geology team.

“Astronauts can also collect many kilograms of samples, compared to the hundreds of grams that a robotic mission might eventually return to Earth.

“Humans also have a better situational awareness of their surroundings and, with the long-time delay for communications between Earth and Mars (up to 40 minutes), they can make decisions on the spot and generally improvise in a way that robots will never be able to.”

Dubai World Cup draw

1. Gunnevera

2. Capezzano

3. North America

4. Audible

5. Seeking The Soul

6. Pavel

7. Gronkowski

8. Axelrod

9. New Trails

10. Yoshida

11. K T Brave

12. Thunder Snow

13. Dolkong 

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Du Football Champions

The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs

UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

PROFILE OF STARZPLAY

Date started: 2014

Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand

Number of employees: 125

Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners

Brief scores:

Toss: Rajputs, elected to field first

Sindhis 94-6 (10 ov)

Watson 42; Munaf 3-20

Rajputs 96-0 (4 ov)

Shahzad 74 not out

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Key developments

All times UTC 4

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

EPL's youngest
  • Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
    15 years, 181 days old
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
    15 years, 235 days old
  • Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
    15 years, 271 days old
  • Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
    16 years, 30 days old
  • Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
    16 years, 68 days old

The Breadwinner

Director: Nora Twomey

Starring: Saara Chaudry,  Soma Chhaya,  Laara Sadiq 

Three stars

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

No%20Windmills%20in%20Basra
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Diaa%20Jubaili%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20180%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Deep%20Vellum%20Publishing%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog

Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology

Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels

Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs

Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go

The flights

Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com

Seeing the games

Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com

 

Staying there

Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com

 

UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised

General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.

"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.

He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania ​​​​​​​
Verdict: 4 Stars

Updated: February 11, 2024, 12:05 PM`