Summary:

Frank Rubio was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported for duty in August 2017. 

Prior to joining NASA, the Florida native graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1998 and earned a Doctorate of 

Medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2010. Prior to attending medical school, he 

served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and flew more than 1,100 hours, including more than 600 hours of 

combat and imminent danger time during deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Dr. Rubio is a board-certified 

family physician and flight surgeon. At the time of his selection, he was serving in the 10th Special Forces Group 

(Airborne) at Fort Carson, CO.

Personal Data:

Rubio was born in Los Angeles, California, but considers Miami, Florida, his hometown. He is married to Deborah Rubio, 

and the couple has four children. His mother, Myrna Argueta, lives in El Salvador.

Education:

Graduated from Miami Sunset Senior High School in Miami, Florida. Earned a bachelor’s degree in International 

Relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Family Medicine Residency at Martin Army 

Community Hospital, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Experience:

Rubio was a member of the West Point Parachute Team, the “Black Knights.” He is a Jumpmaster with over 650 freefall 

skydives, PRO-rating, and D-license holder. He served as a platoon leader in A Company, 2-82nd Assault Aviation 

(REDHAWKS), and as a company commander in A Company, 2-3

rd Aviation (STORM). Rubio also served as a clinic 

supervisor, an executive medicine provider, and a flight surgeon at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. At the time of his 

selection in June 2017, he was a battalion surgeon for the 3rd Battalion of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the 

U.S. Army.

NASA Experience:

Rubio reported for duty in August 2017 and completed two years of training as an Astronaut Candidate. He trained as a 

flight engineer and member of the Expedition 68 crew. Rubio, along with cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry 

Petelin of Roscosmos, launched Wednesday, Sept. 21, on the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 

Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. Rubio and his crewmates landed on Sept. 27, 2023, breaking the record of 

longest single duration spaceflight for a U.S. astronaut with a mission duration of 371 days. It was his first spaceflight. 

http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies

Francisco “Frank” Rubio

(M.D.) (Colonel, U.S. Army) NASA Astronaut 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

February 2024
During the mission, he traveled 157,412,306 statute miles and saw the arrival of 15 visiting vehicles to the space 

station. Rubio conducted three spacewalks totaling 21 hours, 24 minutes of total spacewalking time.

Awards/Honors: 

Rubio has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters,

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal, Army Accommodation Medal with four oak leaf 

clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, NATO Medal, and The Armed Forces Expedition Medal. 

He has a Combat Action Badge, Senior Aviator Badge with Astronaut Device, Flight Surgeon Badge, Parachutist Badge, 

Senior Space Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Air Assault Badge. Rubio has also been awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal 

with two oak leaf clusters and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College, US Army Captain’s Career Course and Officer 

Basic Course, Joint Firepower Control Course, Cavalry Leader’s Course, and the US Army Flight Surgeon Course. 

http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies

Francisco “Frank” Rubio