President Donald Trump spoke with the first all-woman spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Friday, marking their achievement.
Astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch spoke with the president live as they were conducting the spacewalk.
“Station, this is President Donald Trump. Do you hear me?” Trump asked.
The White House group waited during the communications delay, which lasted for about five seconds. Then one of the astronauts replied, “We can hear you.”
“That’s great,” Trump replied. “I was starting to get worried about you.”
Trump congratulated the two women astronauts for their achievement.
“You’re very brave people. I don’t want to do it, I must tell you that, but you are amazing people,” he said.
Astronaut Jessica Meir thanked the president for acknowledging their achievement, although, she said, “For us, this is really just us doing our jobs.”
This is the first time since 1969 that astronauts spoke to a president live outside of a space vehicle, according to Ivanka Trump.
Vice President Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump, and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine joined him for the call.
“Your lives have been incredible, and now you’re in a place that, as I said, very few people will ever get that experience. You’re doing an incredible job,” Trump said.
The president said that the spacewalk was just one step to bring the United States back to the moon in preparation for a trip to Mars.
Ivanka Trump noted that the United States’ trip back to the moon would allow the first woman astronaut to walk on the moon.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed that the United States was working to make it happen by 2024.
“By direct order of the president … the first woman and next man on the South Pole of the moon will be Americans,” he said.
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