Arrived At ISS Saturday For A Six-Month Stay

When Peggy Whitson arrived at ISS this weekend, she became the oldest woman to fly in space at the age of 56. And during this mission, she is expected to regain her title as the U.S. astronaut with the most time spent on orbit.

Whitson, who holds a doctorate degree in biochemistry, will turn 57 during her stay on ISS, her third visit to the orbiting outpost. She will assume duties as the station's' commander then the current crew returns to Earth, and when she returns to Earth next spring, she will have surpassed U.S. Astronaut Jeff Williams, who has spent a total of 534 days off-planet, according to a report from NPR.

Whitson's NASA bio sums it up this way. "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."

Whitson will surpass William's record if time in space if her return occurs as scheduled in May.

(Image provided by NASA)

FMI: www.nasa.gov