The Iowa Almanac takes a look at significant things that happen ON THIS DAY in Iowa History and today, an record setting Astronaut was born on a farm outside Beaconsfield, Iowa.
Professor Jeff Stein honors the amazing career of Iowa Astronaut Peggy Whitson. Hear the story of how she thought that it would be a "cool job" to have and how NASA picked the first set of female astronauts just as Whitson was coming out of school...perfect timing!
Peggy Whitson's first space mission was in 2002, with an extended six month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. She finished serving as chief of the NASA astronaut corps from 2009 until 2012. Learn about the many other milestone achievements that helped her log 665 days in space! Reaching unknown heights in space, astronaut Peggy Whitson's life on earth began when she was born in Mount Ayr on this date in 1960.