How Scott Kelly’s year in space may have changed his body
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly concluded a 340-day journey aboard the International Space Station this week. This the longest time an American has lived in space and is part of NASA’s One-Year Mission, an experiment to see how long-term spaceflight affects the human body.
Living in microgravity can have a big effect on the body. Astronauts have reported problems with their circulation and eyesight in addition to losses in bone and muscle tissue. Kelly has undergone extensive medical testing to document these changes during his trip. This data will help NASA better understand the health effects of space, which is critical since NASA is eager to send astronauts to Mars, a round-trip mission of at least two to three years.
Some people experience more changes than others in space, and NASA isn’t sure why. Scott Kelly’s identical twin brother and former astronaut, Mark, served as a control subject for the mission by remaining on Earth. Comparing data from the twins will help determine if there is a genetic basis for some of the health effects in space.
