“It’s a little bittersweet”, Kelly, 52, said as he turned over command of the orbital outpost to NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra, one of three men remaining on the station.
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Kelly and his roommate for almost a year, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, will check out of the International Space Station Tuesday night. Unlike a six-month mission aboard the space station, an astronaut will have to spend years, including the return flight back, in space as part of any Mars mission.
Scott Kelly has officially returned to Earth, but what does this mean for the mission to Mars?
In addition to collecting his own blood and saliva samples during his year in space, Kelly conducted a number of experiments – like growing lettuce and flowers in zero-gravity.
Kelly has spent more time in space, altogether, than any other American: 520 days over the course of four missions.
Hurricane Patricia as photographed by Scott Kelly in October 2015.
He’s also gained perspective on Earth’s climate while he’s been orbiting the planet.
“They had an opportunity that they’ve never had before”, Mark Kelly said.
When Kelly lands, he will be flown to Houston Wednesday to undergo extensive physical and scientific tests. “The space station here is a magical place, and an incredible science facility”.
“I’ll probably never see it again”, he told CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
“I think what most people miss and what I missed last time are the people that are important in your life”. It’s expected the “Twin Study” will yield new insights that can help inform a future mission into deep space. “Unfortunately it doesn’t last”.
The space agency will begin airing video of the return at 3:10 pm Eastern time, and Kelly will officially depart from the ISS about an hour later, Cosmopolitan reports.
Even still, Kelly said it will be hard to return to Earth.
There also have been some incredible sunsets and sunrises.
His ride – a Russian space capsule called Soyuz TMA-18M – touched down in the middle of the desert-like steppes of Kazakhstan on Tuesday, March 1 at 11:26 p.m. ET.
He is coming home much the same way. Both are records for USA astronauts, but not for Russian Federation.
Below he explains how extended time in space can result in bone loss, vision loss, and risky radiation exposure.
Kelly’s mission won’t end once he lands.
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NASA has been purchasing seats for American astronauts on board the Soyuz since the 2011 retirement of the shuttle program.
