Kathrine Frich
Trump quickly zeroed in on the impressive facial hair of Jack Hathaway.
Presidential visits to military and scientific hubs are usually strictly business.
Politicians shake hands, read from prepared scripts, and hand out official awards.
But when a live feed connects Earth to the cosmos, the conversation can take an unexpected turn.
A historic phone call
President Donald Trump visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday. According to The Express US, he became the first sitting president to call the International Space Station directly from Mission Control.
Other presidents have dialed the orbiting laboratory before. Barack Obama and Trump himself made similar calls during previous terms, but they stayed sitting in the Oval Office.
The live broadcast gave the president a clear view of the astronauts floating in microgravity. Right away, one detail caught his eye according to The Irish Star.
Facial hair in space
Trump quickly zeroed in on the impressive facial hair of U.S. Navy commander and SpaceX pilot Jack Hathaway.
“Would you like to say with that beautiful mustache? I wanna get a mustache like that. Would you like to say something? Go ahead,” Trump said.
Hathaway laughed and took the compliment in stride. “Absolutely, sir. I appreciate it. Yeah, the mustache is a lot of fun. You definitely have to have one in space. It’s great in microgravity,” he replied.
The pilot explained that his look honors naval aviation traditions. He then praised the brilliant minds working in Houston just feet away from the president.
Medals and a new school
Beyond the banter, the visit featured some major official business. The Express US reported that Trump awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II crew.
That team made headlines earlier this year. They completed a 10-day orbital mission, marking the first time humans returned to the moon in more than fifty years.
Trump also signed an executive order to establish the new U.S. Space Academy. He argued that the expanding commercial space industry requires a fresh generation of trained professionals.
Looking to the future
The president laid out his vision for the country’s cosmic ambitions, pointing to new goals on the lunar surface and far beyond.
“That’s why I will sign an Executive Order to begin the process of creating a new a national academy called the U.S. Space Academy,” Trump told the crowd.
To start the project, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead a special commission. Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson will serve as the executive director.
Sources: The Irish Star, The Express US
