Consider the following statements regarding space missions and the International Space Station (ISS):

1. Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams hold the record for the most consecutive days spent in space on a single mission.

2. The International Space Station (ISS) has remained continuously occupied since November 2000.

3. The ISS can accommodate up to eight spacecraft at once.

How many of the above statements are correct?

The correct answer is option 2.

In NewsNASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams returned to Earth after a 286-day mission.

Key Points

• Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days in space, but the U.S. record for the longest single spaceflight is held by Frank Rubio (371 days in 2023).
• The world record is 437 days, set by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov aboard Mir station. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.
• The ISS has remained occupied without interruption since November 2000, with astronauts continuously conducting scientific research and maintenance. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
• The ISS can accommodate up to eight spacecraft at once, allowing for simultaneous crew rotations, resupply missions, and research operations. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

Additional Information

• Spaceflight Records:
  • Longest single-mission duration (U.S.): Frank Rubio (371 days, 2023).
  • Longest single-mission duration (world): Valeri Polyakov (437 days, 1994-1995, Mir station).
  • Most cumulative time in space (U.S.): Peggy Whitson (675 days over multiple missions).
  • Most cumulative time in space (world): Oleg Kononenko (1,111 days over five missions).
• International Space Station (ISS) Facts:
  • Orbits Earth every 90 minutes, completing 16 sunrises and sunsets daily.
  • Typically houses 7 astronauts, with occasional increases during crew changeovers.
  • The pressurized volume of the ISS is equal to a Boeing 747 airplane.
  • NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA jointly operate the ISS as an international space collaboration.