Michigan’s First Female Astronaut Set to Break Record

Grand Rapids, Michigan native Christina Koch, the first female astronaut from Michigan, just got the news that she will set the record for longest continuous space flight by a woman. According to Space.com, it wasn't planned that way.

Christina launched on March 14th, aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, the United Arab Emirates' first astronaut will be launching to the International Space Station at the end of this September and returning on October 3rd. And THAT flight home was supposed to be the ride home for Christina. But it was decided by all to let her stay until February 2020. By that time Christina will have been in space for 328 days, beating the old record held by NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson of 289 days. Scott Kelly holds the overall record for U.S. astronauts at 340 days. (One Russian guy was up there for 438 days)

During her stay Christina will be giving NASA valuable information about how women's bodies adapt to long space flights. Information we'll need to get to Mars

Here's the story.