The American Space Ninja
Peggy Whitson, a NASA Iowa native astronaut, just broke global space records. Whitson safely returned to Earth after spending 288 days - more than nine months - aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 50/51. With a fellow American and a Russian in their Soyuz capsule, Whitson touched down in Kazakhstan at 9:21 p.m. EDT wrapping up her record breaking mission. Over the course of her 3 long-duration space missions, she can accumulated over 655 days in space. Whitson has been in space longer than any other American ever and spent more time than any woman worldwide.
NPR reported that Whitson, also a biochemist, broke the record for an American astronaut's time in space last April on her 534th day in orbit. "President Trump called her to offer congratulations and they discussed the timetable for sending humans to Mars."
"How does it feel to have broken such a big and important record?" the president asked. "Well, it's actually a huge honor to break a record like this," she replied.
Whitson said. "It's an honor for me, basically to be representing all the folks at NASA who make space flight possible and who make me setting this record feasible."
Records are simply this girl's favorite breakfast. Whitson is the world's oldest female astronaut (57 years old), the most experienced female spacewalker (10 space walks) and she is the first woman to have commanded the space station twice, reports The Associated Press.
NPR stated that, during their time aboard the International Space Station, NASA says Whitson and Fischer "contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science." Their work included research into antibodies "that could increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment," as well as looking into the changes that astronauts eyes undergo in an environment with so little gravity.
When Whitson was given the chance to continue her work in space, "she jumped at the chance to stay in orbit an extra three months," reports AP even though she was scheduled to come home this past July.
Randy Bresnik, the space station's new commander praised the astronauts' work, saying "We are in your debt for the supreme dedication that you guys have to the human mission of exploration." Bresnik called Whitson an "American space ninja." GIRL POWER at it's finest!
With her Earth legs (and gravity) back, she told The Associated Press. "Pizza has been on my mind for a month or two." Same Peggy, and I it's only be 13 hrs since my last slice.
"I know that I will hugely miss the freedom of floating and moving with the lightest of touch," she tells AP. "I will miss seeing the enchantingly peaceful limb of our Earth from this vantage point. Until the end of my days, my eyes will search the horizon to see that curve."
According to her NASA bio: The Iowa native completed two six-month tours of duty aboard the station for Expedition 5 in 2002, and as the station commander for Expedition 16 in 2008. She has accumulated 377 days in space between the two missions, the most for any U.S. woman at the time of her return to Earth. Whitson has also performed six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes. Here the full bio here
Forge on Peggy Whitson, you are a true hero and inspiration!
Follow her @AstroPeggy
https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/news/peggy-a-whitson
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/03/548295156/-american-space-ninja-peggy-whitson-back-on-earth-after-record-breaking-flight
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