What happens to the human body after 340 days in microgravity?
In short: When NASA astronaut Scott Kelly spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station, he wasn't just observing the stars. He was part of a high-stakes biological experiment designed to determine if the human body can survive the grueling journey to Mars.
In March 2015, Scott Kelly began a mission that would push the boundaries of human endurance. Alongside Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, Kelly spent 34 and a half weeks aboard the International Space Station, completing a 340-day journey in low-Earth orbit. This mission was far more than a feat of navigation; it was a critical longitudinal study on the physiological toll of long-duration spaceflight. As the Expedition 46 Commander, Kelly led the crew during this period of intense scientific inquiry. This mission represented a significant milestone in the history of the orbital laboratory, which has hosted over 200 people throughout its operation.
The primary objective of the mission was to collect biomedical data to understand how microgravity affects human health. During his time in the orbital laboratory, Kelly performed rigorous tasks, including the collection of blood and saliva samples. By studying these biological markers, researchers aim to understand the consequences of being stuck in a weightless environment for months on end—knowledge that is essential for NASA's future plans to send astronauts to Mars and back safely. The mission's findings are vital for formulating the logistics of a human mission to Mars. These insights into the body's response to long-duration flight are being integrated into NASA's broader strategic planning for deep space exploration.
Beyond the laboratory work, the mission provided a unique perspective on our home planet. Throughout more than 5,000 orbits around the Earth, Kelly used a digital SLR camera to document the view from the station's windows. His photography captured the Earth's glowing auroras, the sprawling lights of cities at night, and the dense expanse of the Milky Way, providing a visual record of the environment that the crew inhabited during their unprecedented stay. The mission concluded with a landing in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft on March 1, U.S. time. This descent marked the end of a journey that had been documented through various NASA media channels, including live agency-wide events.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly Reflects on His Year in Space
- Also: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio | A Year In Space
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