U.S. President Barack Obama made an ultra long-distance call to American astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren aboard the International Space Station on Monday.
The President spoke to the astronauts ahead of astronomy night at the White House, praising their inspiring work and stellar Instagram feed.
More than halfway through his one-year mission, Kelly just set an American record for the cumulative number of days in space and next week he will surpass the single-longest spaceflight record. During the marathon voyage, Kelly and his team will research how our bodies and minds adjust to long-duration spaceflight and conduct 400 experiments to prepare for a “journey to mars.”
Follow TIME’s ongoing coverage of Kelly’s year in space here.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com