Frank Rubio works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and set a new record for the longest continuous space mission by an American. The astronaut returned to Earth on Wednesday along with two Russian cosmonauts in the steppes of Kazakhstan, after spending more than a year on the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz MS-23 capsule, in which they were traveling, separated from the ISS one minute earlier than scheduled and after approximately three and a half hours, it landed in the southeast of the city of Zhezkazgan. Frank Rubio, son of Salvadoran parents, was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Miami. In addition to being an astronaut, he is a family doctor and certified flight surgeon. Before joining NASA, Rubio had a distinguished military career, serving as a US Army Special Forces officer and a Blackhawk helicopter pilot. He was decorated for his bravery and service in combat missions in areas such as Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. His broad skill set and experience has allowed him to become a prominent representative of the Hispanic community and a highly respected astronaut at NASA.