Scott Kelly is a retired American astronaut and engineer who is best known for his participation in NASA’s spaceflight missions, including his record-breaking year-long mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Here are some key details about Scott Kelly:
- Early Life and Education: Scott Joseph Kelly was born on February 21, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey, USA. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1987.
- NASA Astronaut: Scott Kelly was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1996. He became a NASA astronaut in 1998 and was a member of the Astronaut Office’s Operations Branch, supporting ISS-related technical issues, crew equipment, and procedures.
- Space Shuttle Missions: Kelly flew on several Space Shuttle missions before his historic year-long mission. Notable missions include STS-103 (1999), STS-118 (2007), and STS-124 (2008).
- Year-Long Mission: Scott Kelly is perhaps best known for his year-long mission aboard the ISS. He, along with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, launched to the ISS on March 27, 2015, and returned to Earth on March 1, 2016. This mission, known as the “One-Year Mission,” was a scientific experiment to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body and mind. It provided valuable data for future deep space missions, such as those to Mars.
- Personal Record: Scott Kelly’s year-long mission set a record for the longest continuous time spent by an American in space, totaling 340 days. It also marked the longest single spaceflight by any American astronaut.
- Twin Study: A unique aspect of Scott Kelly’s mission was that he has an identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, who is also an astronaut. This allowed for a comparative study of the effects of spaceflight on identical genetic material. The study provided insights into the impact of space on various aspects of human physiology.
- Retirement: After his year-long mission, Scott Kelly retired from NASA in 2016. His contributions to space science and research continue to be significant, and he remains an advocate for space exploration.
- Memoir: Scott Kelly wrote a memoir titled “Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery,” in which he shares his experiences and insights from his spaceflights and year aboard the ISS.
Scott Kelly’s career as an astronaut, particularly his year-long mission, has contributed valuable data and insights to the field of space exploration and human spaceflight. His experiences continue to inspire others to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and space exploration.