President Trump called the International Space Station Monday for a videochat watched by thousands of school kids, congratulating commander Peggy Whitson on becoming America’s most experienced astronaut and jokingly promising to get Americans to Mars “during my first term or, at worst, during my second term.” Joined by astronaut Kate Rubins and daughter Ivanka Trump at the White House, the president said Whitson’s record marked “a very special day in the glorious history of American spaceflight.”
Whitson, making her third spaceflight and second as commander of the space station, said it was “an honor for me to represent all the folks at NASA who make spaceflight possible and who make me setting this record feasible.” On Monday, around 1:27 a.m. EDT (GMT-5), Whitson became America’s most experienced astronaut when her total time in space moved past Jeff Williams’ mark of 534 days two hours and 48 minutes. When she returns to Earth Sept. 3, her total time in space will stand at 666 days, moving her up to eighth in the world.
Credits: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-space-station-astronaut-peggy-whitson-sets-record/
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