LONDON, United Kingdom. U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly will return from the International Space Station after becoming the first American to spend virtually a whole year continuously in space.
Above is 52yo Scott Kelly who began collaborative investigations on the space station with Russian Mikhail Kornienko into how the human body adjusts to weightlessness, isolation, radiation and the stress of long duration space flight in March 2015.
NASA considers the mission crucial for future Mars explorers who will have to spend much longer in space.
During his final news conference on Thursday, Mr Kelly said: “I think we’ll learn a lot about longer-duration space flight and how that will take us to Mars someday.
“So I’d like to think that this is another of many stepping stones to us landing on Mars sometime in our future.”
Mr Kelly’s 340-day mission – the longest by 125 days for NASA – will end on Wednesday in Kazakhstan.
He will ride a Soyuz spacecraft back to Earth with Mr Kornienko – his roommate for the past year – and another Russian.
Once out of the capsule, the two will undergo a series of field tests including a mini-obstacle course and trying to stand still for three minutes.
They will also undergo blood testing, heart monitoring and other medical exams.
The tests will continue for weeks once they are back home in Houston and Star City, Russia.
Check-ups will also be carried out on Mr Kelly’s identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who has undergone similar tests on the ground throughout the NASA mission.
The longest space flight currently stands at 438 days.
Mr Kelly’s vision has degraded, as it did during his last mission, which is normal because of increased pressure inside the skull during weightlessness.
He expects his bones and muscles have also weakened, despite daily exercise while in orbit.
But his biggest concern is the possible lingering effects of space radiation.
He said: “Hopefully, I’ll never find out what the true effects are of that.”
Mars expeditions planned for the 2030s would last two-and-a-half years, involving crews of four to six.
The astronauts would almost certainly have to grow some of their food during the flight.
Credit: Sky News
