After becoming one of the astronauts to conduct the first all-women space walk, Christina Koch breaks new spaceflight record: she is the the first woman astronaut to perform the longest single spaceflight in history.

Christina Koch Just Spent 292 Days in Space

Astronaut and NASA electrical engineer Christina Koch surpassed the 288-days spaceflight record on Saturday. In 2017, former NASA chief astronaut Peggy Whitson set this record, but it seems Christina will spend 328 days in space by the time her mission ends. It is an amazing achievement for women at NASA and for all female astronauts whose dreams reach for the stars.

In case you needed a reminder, Christina Koch and fellow astronaut Jessica Meir completed the all-women spacewalk outside of the International Space Station in October.

Christina Koch is a record-breaker and a trailblazer. Inspired by Peggy Whitson, whom she calls a “mentor”, the astronaut hopes she becomes a role model for future NASA female astronauts as well.

If All Goes Well, Christina Koch Will Come Back Home Next Year

When she launched in space in March this year, the astronaut prepared for a typical six-months mission. However, NASA extended her stay. Among the reasons, the agency wants to collect more data about the effects of long-term spaceflight. This comes as no surprise given the fact that NASA is getting ready to send people on the Moon and then begin its Mars adventure.

Christina seems excited to stay in space for so long. If all goes well, she will return home in February, 2020. Until then, she is thrilled to be part of a project of such magnitude. In a series of press releases and interviews, she said

A Small Step for an Astronaut…

Christina Koch’s record is but one of many held by amazing men and women who proved determination, bravery, and endurance in space. But just like the legends before her, Christina wants her record to inspire and motivate future generations.

In her words, “My biggest hope for this record is that it is exceeded as soon as possible again, because that means we are continuing to push those boundaries.”