SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane native and NASA astronaut Anne McClain received an important phone call from earth on Wednesday.
Vice President Mike Pence and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine placed the congratulatory call to the Expedition 58 crew. McClain and astronaut David Saint-Jacques were on hand to talk about the successful landing of the SpaceX Crew Dragon on Sunday morning.
The Crew Dragon is being packed and readied for its return to Earth on Friday, according to NASA. During the mission, crew members continued more space research and practiced an emergency drill.
The mission marks a significant step toward returning to the nation the capability to launch astronauts on a U.S.-built spacecraft from American soil, according to NASA.
“It was inspiring to see the launch. It was even more inspiring to see the docking and to see you open that door and float into that spacecraft knowing that we’ll very soon have American astronauts aboard,” Pence told the astronauts.
“Witnessing Dragon docking was a real honor. We feel very privileged to have been a part of it,” McClain answered. “There’s an intersection of practical and magical. In the back of our mind we knew how significant it was and how important it was for the whole history of spaceflight.”
On March 29, McClain will participate in the first all-female spacewalk in history alongside astronaut Christina Koch. It will last about 7 hours.
Astronauts can do science experiments, test new equipment, or repair satellites or spacecraft during a spacewalk, according to NASA.
McClain, an alumna of Gonzaga Preparatory School, is entering her third month on the International Space Station. She is researching the ways gravity affects tissues and organs.
McClain sends frequent updates about her time aboard the ISS on Twitter.