What happens when Hollywood stars interview astronauts from 250 miles above Earth?
In short: While orbiting the planet, NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren participated in a live Q&<0xC2><0xA0>A with the cast of The Martian. The conversation bridged the gap between cinematic fiction and the rigorous, high-stakes reality of long-duration spaceflight and mission preparation.
In September 2015, during a visit to Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center, the cast of The Martian—including Matt Damon, Sebastian Stan, and Mackenzie Davis—connected with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The dialogue, which included director Ridley Scott, allowed the actors to probe the realities of life in orbit. For instance, Matt Damon, portraying the stranded Mark Watney, inquired about the specific preparations required for such a mission.
The reality of astronaut training is a massive undertaking. Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren, a medical doctor, described a five-year training progression: an initial 2.5 years as a candidate to learn basic spaceflight skills, followed by another 2.5 years of mission-specific training. This second phase included mastering Russian, station systems, and spacewalking procedures. At the time of the talk, Lindgren was entering his third month of a five-month mission, while Commander Scott Kelly was at the midpoint of an unprecedented year-long mission alongside Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko.
The conversation also touched on the psychological and logistical nuances of life in cramped quarters. While actor Scott inquired about physical altercations among the crew, Kelly noted that while he had heard stories of such conflicts, his experience was positive due to NASA's rigorous vetting processes. He also shared a humorous anecdote regarding the retired space shuttle, noting that pilots were once tasked with toilet maintenance—a critical responsibility because, as Kelly noted, mission success depends on functional sanitation. These missions, including those involving crewmembers like Kimiya Yui, Sergey Volkov, and Oleg Kononenko, serve to gather biomedical data essential for future human missions to Mars, targeted for the 2030s.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Space Station Crew Members Talk to Cast of The Martian
- Also: 'The Martian' Stars Ask Real Astronauts About Life in Space (Video) | Space
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