Trump Calls International Space Station During Visit to NASA Mission Control
President Donald Trump spoke with astronauts aboard the International Space Station on Friday from NASA’s Mission Control at Johnson Space Centre. He congratulated the crew and praised their bravery in the first call to the station by a sitting president.
- Science News
- 2 min read
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Houston: President Donald Trump took to the console at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, placing a live call to astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and presenting major honours to America's lunar explorers.
The direct link to orbit served as the centrepiece of an event focused on advancing American space leadership, celebrating upcoming deep-space endeavours, and honouring crew members preparing for humanity's return to the Moon.
Direct Exchange with Orbit
Speaking with the astronauts floating inside the orbital laboratory 250 miles above Earth, Trump commended their technical precision and highlighted the strategic role of American innovation in human spaceflight.
During the video call from Mission Control, the conversation touched on critical microgravity research, ongoing station operations, and how long-duration orbital missions lay the groundwork for future crewed journeys to Mars.
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Honouring the Artemis II Crew
Beyond the orbital hookup, the President’s visit highlighted key milestones for the Artemis lunar program.
Trump formally presented the Congressional Space Medal of Honour to the four-person crew of Artemis II: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
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The crew is slated to embark on a historic flyby mission around the Moon, marking the first time humans have travelled to deep space since the Apollo era.
Executive Order Establishes U.S. Space Academy
Capping off the event, Trump signed an executive order establishing the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Space Academy.
The initiative aims to expand educational, technical, and operational training opportunities across commercial space industries, military sectors, and civil spaceflight programs.
"American superiority in space depends on the strength, skill, and character of those who explore, secure, and build the industries critical to it," the order stated, directing federal leadership to outline the creation of the national academy.