© 2024 90.7 WMFE. All Rights Reserved.
Public Media News for Central Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Earth-to-Space: Trump Dials International Space Station

Astronaut Peggy Whitson on a spacealk. Whitson holds the record for most spacealks by a female astronaut. Photo: NASA
Astronaut Peggy Whitson on a spacealk. Whitson holds the record for most spacealks by a female astronaut. Photo: NASA

Astronauts on board the International Space Station are expecting a call from the White House. President Trump and First Daughter Ivanka plan to ring the station to congratulate record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson.

The Trumps are calling the orbiting laboratory Monday from the Oval Office.The planned 20 minute call is to congratulate astronaut Peggy Whitson for breaking the U.S. record of most cumulative days in space. Whitson logged 535 days in space.

The Department of Education is urging classrooms across the country to tune into the call to promote women in STEM fields.

Whitson is the first female commander of the International Space Station, and holds the record for most spacewalks by a women.

The call, scheduled for 10 a,m, will be broadcast on NASA’s website and Facebook page. Trump will also speak with station newcomer Jack Fischer, who arrived at the I-S-S- last week.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.

Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.