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Trump Calls Record-Breaking Astronaut And AFA Grad On Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronaut Peggy Whitson has another record under her space belt.

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US astronaut Peggy Whitson (credit: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

Early Monday, the International Space Station commander surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in orbit by an American. That record was set last year by Jeffrey Williams.

President Donald Trump called Whitson Monday morning from the Oval Office, along with his daughter Ivanka and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, to congratulate her on the mark, talking with both her and Louisville native and Air Force Academy graduate Jack Fischer who joined her days before.

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(credit: James Blair/USAFA)

Whitson already was the world's most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By the time she returns to Earth in September, she'll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.

The world record — 879 days — is held by Russian Gennady Padalka.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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