Astronaut, NC State grad Christina Koch gives mid-mission update on the ISS

NASA Astronaut and NC State graduate Christina Koch is about a third of the way through what will be a record-setting stay on the International Space Station and she says taking it one day at a time is the key.

"I do take it one day at a time," Koch said in an interview with ABC11 from the ISS. "That's the way I remind myself that every single day I have to bring my best to that day. I like to say it's not the total number of days I have up here, but also what I do with those days."


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Koch is set to return in February 2020. She will have spent 328 days or nearly a full year in orbit.

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Koch will break a record as the longest single spaceflight by a woman, beating out the last titleholder, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson.



"Focusing on the bigger picture of what a record means, I hope I can participate in this historic moment to inspire people on the ground to pay homage to those who paved the way for me to do what I'm doing here today," Koch said. "I also say that my biggest hope for the record is it's exceeded as soon as possible because that means we're continuing to push the envelope and push the frontiers."
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Koch will soon be joined by another astronaut with local ties.

Dr. Andrew Morgan who was stationed at Ft. Bragg is set to launch to the ISS in July.

Koch says the two of them are looking forward to representing North Carolina together in space.