As of the year 2025, the following list provides a summary of the top ten astronauts and cosmonauts who have spent the longest continuous time in space during a single mission. In the process of pushing the limits of human endurance, these individuals have made significant contributions to the field of space exploration and to our understanding of how life can exist in microgravity spaces. In order to arrive at these rankings, the duration of their longest single spaceflight is taken into consideration. The information for these rankings comes from reputable sources such as NASA and other space agencies.

List Of Top 10 Popular Astronauts Who Spent The Longest Time In Space In The World 2025

1. Valeri Polyakov

The record for the longest single spaceflight in the history of the world is currently held by the Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov. From January 8, 1994, until March 22, 1995, he was a resident aboard the Mir space station for a total of 437 days, 17 hours, and 58 minutes, during which time he orbited the Earth more than 7,000 times. In addition to his training as a physician, Polyakov carried out experiments to investigate the effects of microgravity on the human body. These experiments provided essential information for long-term missions, such as the possibility of traveling to Mars. It is well known that he walked out of the Soyuz capsule upon landing in order to demonstrate the human capacity for resilience after prolonged space travel.

2. Sergei Avdeyev

Between the years 1998 and 1999, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev was stationed on the Mir space station for a total of 379 days. His mission, which had been planned for a shorter duration initially, was unexpectedly extended, which resulted in him spending a total of more than a year living in orbit. The duration of Avdeyev’s stay in space was instrumental in the advancement of research on human adaptation to prolonged microgravity. When asked about his thoughts on the event, he stated, “I was prepared for a longer flight, but I never thought it would be twice as long.” Seventy-four days is the total amount of time he has spent in space across all of his missions.

3. Frank Rubio

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio set the U.S. record for the longest single spaceflight, spending 371 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) from September 21, 2022, to September 27, 2023. His mission, initially planned for six months, was extended due to a coolant leak in the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft. Rubio orbited Earth 5,963 times, traveling over 157 million miles, and conducted research critical for future deep-space missions. His endurance surpassed the previous U.S. record held by Mark Vande Hei.

4. Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov

Between the months of December 1987 and December 1988, Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov made history by becoming the first humans to spend an entire year in space. They were able to log 365 days, 22 hours, and 38 minutes aboard the Mir space station to accomplish this feat. During the course of their mission, we became the first humans to successfully complete a full orbit around the Sun while we were in space. The primary focus of their work was on human adaptation to microgravity over extended periods of time, which served as a model for subsequent extended missions.

5. Mark Vande Hei

From April 9, 2021, until March 30, 2022, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei was stationed on the International Space Station for a total of 355 days. After being launched alongside Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov, he completed 5,680 orbits around the Earth and traveled more than 150 million miles by space. Studies on muscle loss and space farming, such as cultivating chili peppers in microgravity, were among the topics that he investigated for his research. The mission of Vande Hei was an important step in the process of getting ready for long-term space exploration.

6. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko

Between March 27, 2015 and March 1, 2016, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko successfully completed a historic mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that lasted for 340 days. More than four hundred experiments on weightlessness, radiation, and isolation were carried out during their stay, which was referred to as the “One-Year Mission” undertaken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Their discoveries have been extremely important for the planning of missions to Mars. The twin brother of Kelly, Mark Kelly, was examined on Earth for the purpose of conducting comparative research on the effects of spaceflight.

7. Christina Koch

The record for the longest single spaceflight to be completed by a woman is currently held by NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who spent 328 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) between March 14, 2019, and February 6, 2020. During the International Space Station Expeditions 59, 60, and 61, she worked as a Flight Engineer and conducted research in the fields of biological 3D printing and pharmaceutical studies. Koch also completed six spacewalks, which spanned a total of 42 hours and 15 minutes and included the first spacewalks conducted by all female astronauts. She contributed to the advancement of knowledge regarding the effects of long-term spaceflight on women.

8. Peggy Whitson

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson spent 289 days aboard the ISS from November 17, 2016, to September 3, 2017, setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at the time. Whitson, who holds the NASA record for cumulative time in space (675 days), conducted extensive research and commanded the ISS. Her contributions include advancements in space station operations and scientific experiments. She also participated in the Axiom-4 mission in 2025, further

9. Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore

Between June 5, 2024 and March 19, 2025, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore spent a total of 286 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This was due to the fact that their Boeing Starliner mission was extended due to problems with the propulsion system. A SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft was used to make their return, which had been originally planned to take eight days. Williams currently holds the record for the longest spacewalk time by a female astronaut, clocking in at 62 hours and 6 minutes. She has spent a total of 608 days spent in space. Through his three missions, Wilmore has accumulated a total of 404 days of service.

10. Andrew Morgan

NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan traveled 115 million miles and orbited the Earth 4,352 times while he was aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a total of 272 days. His mission included conducting ground-breaking research in the fields of biology, Earth science, and technology. Additionally, he conducted seven spacewalks in order to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, which is an essential instrument for the study of dark matter. The contributions made by Morgan have helped us gain a deeper understanding of long-term spaceflight and the ways in which it can be applied to future missions.