Welcome home, says US President Trump after record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson's touchdown

Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer on the phone while speaking to Donald Trump. (Image courtesy: NASA/Dan Huot)

New Delhi: She is the US astronaut who has spent the most cumulative time in space with a total of 665 days during three long-duration missions and is the only female astronaut to command the station twice.

She is also the female astronaut who has spent the longest time in orbit during a single spaceflight – 288 days.

The record-setting astronaut just made her descent to Earth on Saturday, September 2, along with her two crewmates – NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and Russian commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos.

The 'American space ninja' – as she is fondly called among her fellow astronauts – and Jack Fischer received a special welcome as they were flying home to Houston Sunday evening, in the form of a phone call from US President Donald Trump.

“I want to congratulate Peggy and Jack for their incredible accomplishments. They make us all very proud,” said President Trump. “Exploration has always been at the core of who we are as Americans, and their brave contributions to human spaceflight have continued that great tradition.”

“Peggy is an inspiration to us all,” said President Trump, “especially to young women interested in or currently pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math,” NASA reported.

This isn't the first time Trump spoke to Whitson and Fischer. On April 24, the day Whitson officially set the US record for most cumulative days in space, Donald Trump spoke to the two astronauts over a celebratory phone call. First Daughter Ivanka Trump and fellow astronaut Kate Rubins were also present during the exchange in the Oval Office.