Trump tells Nasa to 'speed up' Mars landing in call to congratulate astronaut

Peggy Whitson, who broke the US record for most time spent in space, received praise from president, who plans to cut Nasa's budget and certain programs

Astronaut Peggy Whitson broke the US record for most time spent in space on Monday, and received a phone call from Donald Trump in which the president congratulated her and urged Nasa to reach Mars ahead of his own proposed schedule.

Whitson, 57, reached her 534th day in space early on Monday morning. The president called her from the Oval Office, where he sat flanked by his daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, and Dr Kate Rubins, another Nasa astronaut.