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Three astronauts are trapped after the capsule that was supposed to transport them was damaged. A small meteorite hit a hole less than a millimeter in diameter.
One of the astronauts is Salvadoran-American Frank Rubio who is currently on a mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Frank is 47 years old, he was born in Los Angeles and is the son of Salvadoran parents.
Frank confirmed, from space 400 kilometers from Earth, that there will be new opportunities for Latin astronauts in this research project in low Earth orbit.
“Many Hispanics in the future will have an opportunity,” Rubio said in an interview with the US Spanish-speaking network Univision.
Rubio confirmed that he felt very good after about 6 months on the International Space Station, a period that likely doubles and could make him the first American and Spanish astronaut to spend a year in space.
Frank Rubio: Life in Space as an Astronaut
On September 21, 2022, Rubio became the twelfth Hispanic to arrive at the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in the first flight by a NASA astronaut since he was selected.
“If I go back soon (to Earth), I will be happy to be with my family,” Rubio said, given the possibility that the return will be faster, although he admitted that technical problems caused him to “stay another 3 to 6 months on the ISS.”
“Our ship was damaged,” he confirmed, emphasizing the technical problems that might delay his return, although it would allow him to beat a record for surviving in space.
Frank Rubio prepared for five years before arriving at the International Space Station and two years specifically for this mission, for which he flew on the supersonic T-38 on a regular basis.
“My family has always supported me and is very positive,” he said about extending his stay, noting that his mother always told him “everything will be fine.”
Regarding life in space, he maintained that it is difficult to get used to gravity and that “you have to learn to keep your feet glued to the ground”.
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