NASA Photos Showcase the Growing Role of Women in Space

On October 25, 2007, NASA astronaut Peggy A. Whitson, then commander of the ISS), greeted Pamela Melroy, a commander of a visiting Space Shuttle. This moment, captured 15 years ago, marked the first handshake between two women commanders in space. Since then, 44 women have worked aboard the ISS as long-duration crew members or as visitors from Space Shuttle assembly flights and Soyuz missions.

Whitson holds the record for most cumulative spaceflight time, not only for a woman, but for any U.S. astronaut. She spent a total of 665 days in space, according to NASA.