Out Of This World: Astronaut To Spend A Year In Space
By Edward Cardenas
SOUTHFIELD (CBS Detroit) - NASA astronaut Scott Kelly will launch into space Friday for a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station.
Kelly, and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, will blast off at 3:42 p.m. Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They are scheduled to arrive at the space station about six hours later.
Their mission, which is double the length of most expeditions, will test how the body reacts and adapts to long-duration spaceflight, according to NASA.
Data collected during this mission will be used for longer human missions, including those to Mars.
"Their skills and previous experience aboard the space station align with the mission's requirements," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington, in a release. "The one-year increment will expand the bounds of how we live and work in space and will increase our knowledge regarding the effects of microgravity on humans as we prepare for future missions beyond low-Earth orbit."
Researchers will also compare the effects of space on Kelly, with his identical twin brother, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, who will participate in a number of comparative genetic studies.
NASA stated that the tests will track any degeneration or evolution that occurs in the human body from extended exposure to a zero-gravity environment.
The mission will also study crew member performance during and after the 12-month span along with monitoring sleep patterns and exercise routines.
Research gathered from both the American and Russian crew members will be shared between the countries.