Spent a year in space, setting a record for the longest single spaceflight by an American, and providing valuable insights into the effects of long-term space travel on the human body.
Scott Kelly is an American engineer, retired astronaut, and naval aviator who made history by spending a record-breaking 340 days in space. As a veteran of four spaceflights, Kelly commanded the International Space Station (ISS) on Expeditions 26, 45, and 46, and holds the distinction of being the first American to spend a year in space.
Born on February 21, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey, Scott Kelly grew up with his identical twin brother Mark Kelly, who is also a retired astronaut. Their parents, Patricia McAvoy and Richard Kelly, were police officers in West Orange, where the family lived. Kelly graduated from West Orange Mountain High School in 1982 and went on to enroll at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
During his first year of college, Kelly worked as an emergency medical technician in Orange and Jersey City, New Jersey. This early experience laid the foundation for his future career in medicine and astronautics.
Kelly's first spaceflight was as pilot of Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-103 in December 1999. This mission lasted for nearly eight days and involved servicing the Hubble Space Telescope.
Kelly's second spaceflight was as mission commander of STS-118, a 12-day Space Shuttle mission to the ISS in August 2007.
In 2010, Kelly embarked on his third spaceflight as a crew member on Expedition 25/26 on the ISS. He arrived at the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-01M on October 9, 2010, and served as a flight engineer until he took over command of the station on November 25, 2010.
From March 27, 2015, to March 1, 2016, Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko spent a year in space, setting a new record for the longest single spaceflight by an American. During this mission, Kelly and Kornienko conducted numerous scientific experiments, and Kelly's body was monitored to analyze the effects of long-term space travel on the human body.
Scott Kelly is married to Amiko Kauderer, and they have two daughters, Samantha and Charlotte. Kelly's identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, is also a retired astronaut and the junior U.S. senator from Arizona.
In his free time, Kelly enjoys running, cycling, and hiking. He has completed several marathons and has competed in the Ironman World Championship.
Scott Kelly's remarkable career and achievements have inspired a new generation of astronauts and scientists. His historic year-long spaceflight has paved the way for future long-duration space missions, including NASA's plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.
Kelly's groundbreaking research on the effects of long-term space travel on the human body has far-reaching implications for the future of space exploration. His willingness to push the boundaries of human endurance in space has earned him a place in the annals of space history.
As Kelly himself said, "The space station is a symbol of what we can do when we work together towards a common goal. It's a symbol of hope for the future."
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