NASA’s record-breaking spacewoman, Peggy Whitson (58) has announced her retirement as astronaut less than year after returning from her last and longest spaceflight.
During her career, she had racked up total of 665 days in space — more than any other NASA astronaut, and record for women worldwide.
She is world’s most experienced female spacewalker, with 10 under her spacesuit belt with record-setting total time of 60 hours and 21 minutes.
She was first woman to command International Space Station (ISS), holding the position twice. She was oldest woman ever to fly in space.
She was first and only woman (and first non-military person) to serve as chief of NASA’s male-dominated astronaut corps from 2009 to 2012.