U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly has set a new record for the most days spent in space by an American, marking October 16 as his 383rd day spent off Earth.
Kelly’s record surpasses astronaut Mike Fincke’s cumulative 382 days in space, NASA announced Friday. On October 29, Kelly will make history again when he breaks Expedition 14 commander Michael Lopez-Alegria’s record for the longest spaceflight by an American, which currently stands at 215 days.
Kelly has been living aboard the International Space Station, where he conducts scientific experiments and uses social media to document life aboard the craft. He has also provided some of the most dramatic views of space from his extraterrestrial vantage point. TIME is producing a series of documentary films, titled A Year in Space, about his time aboard the space station, which can be viewed on a special site devoted to the yearlong mission.
By the end of his one-year mission, Kelly is set to have lived for a total 522 total days in space over the course of four missions. That won’t be enough to topple the worldwide record holder for most cumulative days spent in space, held by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev for his 803 days over six missions. Lopez-Alegria’s 215 days spent on a single mission also comes up short of Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who spent 483 days in a row in space, more than any other human.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com