He Left For A Space Mission. When He Returned, His Whole Country Was Gone.

Russian astronaut Sergei Krikalev had to spend 312 days extra in space. What he saw after returning to Earth left him stunned.

Sergei Krikalev, a Russian cosmonaut, was all set to be deployed to the Mir space station on a Soyuz spacecraft in 1991. Set against the backdrop of the Soviet Union's dissolution, the exploratory mission turned out to be a nightmare for the cosmonaut. Initially, marked as a five-month mission, Sergei returned to a changed Earth after almost a year.

The Russian cosmonaut's prolonged stay put financial pressure on the country. To arrange funds, Russia decided to offer space station vacations to Western countries. With the rising talk of selling Mir, concerns sparked among the crew members, but they stayed because had they left Mir, it would have meant the end of the Space Station.

In March 1992, Krikalev finally received the news that he would be replaced and could return to Earth. He landed near Arkalyk, in the independent Republic of Kazakhstan. By the time he landed, his home Leningrad had become St Petersburg of the Russian State.

What was initially assigned as a five-month space routine had unfortunately extended to almost a year for Krikalev, who spent 312 days away from Earth, which took a toll on his health. Upon returning home, he was diagnosed with signs of heavy damage to his physical health, including muscle and bone weakening. But the truly tragic part of Krikalev's story is that he went on to become the last citizen of the Soviet Union and was unable to return to his original home of Leningrad, which is now known as St.Petersburg. Still, his dedication to staying at the Mir station in the face of adversity and his commitment to the Soviet space program displayed true patriotism and professionalism.

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