NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is en route to break a major record in spaceflight. She will become the first astronaut to have spent more cumulative time than any other US astronaut in space by the end of April.
According to The Verge, it seems Peggy Whitson is not totally satisfied with her feat. She is going to stay for three more months at the International Space Station, surpassing her normal time of stay which expires this April. NASA confirmed about this incredible feat in the latest statement.
Peggy Whitson reached the International Space Station in November 2016 via a Russian Soyuz rocket. She was accompanied by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency. Their stay on the ISS is being called Expedition 51. Now that Whitson will stay for three more months on the ISS, Novitskiy and Pesquet will be coming back to earth in June. Whitson will be accompanied by NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikin on her return journey to earth.
According to Cnet, Peggy Whitson's extension of stay at ISS does not only come as a record-breaking purpose. With Russia reducing its crew at the ISS, Whitson's stay will ensure the presence of six crew members. Whitson is reportedly planning to play the prankster with her new colleagues, as they will be spending time in conducting experiments at the ISS.
Peggy Whitson has explained her elongation of stay period at the ISS as an awesome experience. She adds that she feels like making a great contribution by living and working up there. Whitson said that she will look to squeeze most out of her remaining period of stay at the ISS.
Peggy Whitson is the only female astronaut onboard the International Space Station to extend her time of stay. She also holds the current record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut.
