A year is a long time, but it probably flies by while you're zipping 250 miles above Earth, orbiting about 15 times each day.
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, both veteran space travelers, launched aboard Soyuz TMA-16M from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 28, bound for the International Space Station. The pair are scheduled to return to Earth on March 1 on Soyuz TMA-18M.
Part of NASA's Human Research Program, the One-Year Mission on the ISS is a joint effort between the U.S. space agency, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and international partners. It's part of a research project studying long-term spaceflight and the effects it has on the human body.
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Here are 12 awesome things that Kelly and Kornienko experienced during their time orbiting Earth.
Great work by the whole team yesterday and a brief moment to take a #selfie! #spacewalk #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/4XNf2fpkul
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) December 22, 2015
Tomorrow we'll eat the anticipated veggie harvest on @space_station! But first, lettuce take a #selfie. #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/fUKQMhEDjK
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 9, 2015
Day 183- Six months in space #saturdayselfie and a #GoodNight from @SpaceStation! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/eNDzY8Zu6D
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) September 26, 2015
.@TheTimMcGraw Maybe! Let me know where. Appreciate your support from #TopOfTheWorld on @Space_Station! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/b1GTnfxKiA
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 3, 2015
We're fewer at dinner tonight as three of our friends await to return to #Earth https://t.co/pAXzZ4RU9w #YearInSpacehttps://t.co/bMjwmqLJ7l
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) September 11, 2015Advertisement
Watched @MartianMovie on @Space_Station last night! Today working towards our #JourneyToMars during my #YearInSpace! pic.twitter.com/rIEBjFxRIr
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) September 20, 2015
#Movie night in micro #Gravity aboard #ISS on our new HD projector which we use for conferences, tech software, etc.. pic.twitter.com/Mhb03U3alz
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) April 25, 2015
The vaccinations are part of NASA's Twins Study, a compilation of multiple investigations that take advantage of a unique opportunity to study identical twin astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly, while Scott spends a year aboard the International Space Station and Mark remains on Earth.
Enjoyed discussing @Space_Station with @HouseScience Committee today. #YearInSpace https://t.co/bDE3s2ChTX pic.twitter.com/GZHX6UkVAX
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) December 2, 2015
It was one small bite for man, one giant leap for #NASAVEGGIE and our #JourneytoMars. #YearInSpacehttps://t.co/B7Gkfm1Vz0
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 10, 2015
The challenging process of growing both lettuce, as well as zinnias, in microgravity, helps provide NASA with invaluable information when it comes to long term spaceflight and self-sustaining space farming.
Moved our #Soyuz last summer & imagined chasing a #StarWars TIE fighter as we redocked @space_station. #YearInSpacehttps://t.co/DvVuN2CcKI
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) December 18, 2015Advertisement
"My one-year crewmember Misha Kornienko and I on day 300 aboard @space_station! #YearInSpace"
Remembering the sacrifices of the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews from @space_station today. #NASARemembershttps://t.co/H2ftIgTb7O
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) January 28, 2016
Honor to talk to President George H. W. Bush today from @Space_Station! Thank you for visiting our great NASA team! pic.twitter.com/tsOPJT5dQ9
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) February 5, 2016
Um, @StationCDRKelly, I thought you said you had things under control up there on @Space_Station? #ApeInSpace pic.twitter.com/wYu1auoA6W
— Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) February 23, 2016