CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A NASA astronaut will spend nearly a year at the International Space Station, setting a record for women.
Station astronaut Christina Koch (Cook) will remain on board for about 11 months, until February. That approaches but doesn't quite break Scott Kelly's 340-day U.S. record. She knew before launching last month that her flight might stretch into 2020. She says it's awesome.
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Another NASA astronaut will also have an extended stay. Andrew Morgan will launch to the space station this summer for a nine-month mission -- also considerably longer than the usual six months.
NASA announced the extended assignments this week.
Koch will break the record of 288 days for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at the end of December. Retired astronaut Peggy Whitson is the current record-holder.