Imagine carrying out hundreds of scientific and research experiments, every day, for a year… in space.
For American astronaut Scott Kelly, that will soon be his reality. In March, this resident of Houston, Texas will launch to the International Space Station and become the first American to live and work aboard the orbiting laboratory for a year-long mission.
Not only will he be conducting studies on cutting-edge technology development, he and his crew will compare medical data from Scott and his twin brother astronaut Mark Kelly to see how the human body responds over time in space. This research will help move our country forward toward President Obama’s goal of sending humans to Mars by the 2030s.
Space.com reports that
Kelly is scheduled to launch on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station in late-March. He and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will live and work on the orbiting outpost for one year. Kelly and Kornienko’s flight will mark the first time an American astronaut has left the planet for 12 months, and it is also the fourth yearlong mission in history — the first onboard the International Space Station.
NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos are looking toward Kelly and Kornienko’s mission to gather physiological data supporting longer missions into space.
President Obama gave a shout-out to Kelly and his mission during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, stating:
Pushing out into the solar system not just to visit, but to stay. Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a reenergized space program that will send American astronauts to Mars. And in two months, to prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space. So good luck, Captain. Make sure to Instagram it. We’re proud of you.
An astronaut since 1996, Scott has logged more than 180 days in space and has served as both pilot and commander on space shuttle missions, including a long-duration mission on the International Space Station. So he should feel right at home.
Additional Source: Meet Scott Kelly, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Union, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/19/meet-scott-kelly-guest-first-lady-state-union (accessed January 21, 2015).
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