Scott Kelly works on the International Space Station during a nearly eight-hour spacewalk in November 2015. (NASA)
March 1, 2016
By Maya Wei-Haas
After spending 340 days in space, (click here) U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are scheduled to touch down on our little blue marble around 11:30 p.m. ET today.
Though not the longest stint in space, it is the longest anyone has spent on board the International Space Station (ISS) and the best opportunity NASA has had to study what happens to the human body after prolonged exposure to weightlessness, cramped quarters and damaging radiation.
There’s no escaping the fact that Earthlings evolved to thrive with a certain amount of gravity. So since the early days of space travel, NASA has been trying to figure out what happens to a human body beyond our planet's pull....
Now the work to understand the human body in space begins. The Kelly twins are remarkable men. It is a dedication beyond 'the job.' The space standard is being written because of them.
The space industry, including NASA, should have a special place for the Kelly brothers. What is known today and going forward was provided by truly heroic men. They have made history in this investigation into the human body.
Thank you to both of the Kelly Brothers. The USA is a little more proud today because of their dedication to their country.
