30 Stunning Images From Astronaut Scott Kelly's Year In Space

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly recently handed over command of the International Space Station to astronaut Tim Kopra after spending nearly a year in space. In March 2015, Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko entered low Earth orbit aboard the ISS. “A year is a long time, you know,” said Kelly in a statement, speaking about his experience. “It felt like I’d been up there my whole life after about the first six months.”
During the 340 days they spent in space, the duo participated in numerous experiments detailing the effects of long-term microgravity on the human body, in a bid to help scientists understand the impact of long-term space flight on astronauts so that they can minimise any health risks. Kelly is of particular interest as he has a twin brother named Mark who acted as a control subject by remaining on earth. Considering they are identical twins, scientists will easily be able to distinguish any anomalies that may arise in Kelly’s post-space body. In space, it’s usual for bodies to lose a significant amount of muscle mass and bone density, as there’s no gravity pulling you down, unlike on earth, which means that it doesn’t take as much energy and exercise to move around. To counter this, astronauts have to work out for as much as two-and-a-half hours every day, usually by using a treadmill and weightlifting.
Further, without gravity to ‘pull’ fluids, the body’s cardiovascular system takes a hit too: blood moves towards the upper body. Though the heart pumps enough blood down to the legs for them to function, it’s a fraction of the blood they’re used to on Earth. So when astronauts return and experience gravity again, blood rushes to the legs but weak blood vessels in the lower limbs struggle to send it back up, leading to dizziness and fainting. However, during his time in space, Kelly also added two inches to his height, making him taller than his twin brother upon his return, which means that its entirely possible that there are also changes that will appear on a deeper, more genetic level.
Unfortunately, the results of Kelly’s tests aren’t likely to be made public any time soon, but in the meantime, we can at least enjoy some of these stunning photos he took while he was at the ISS.
[caption id=”attachment_50877” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] A tiny island in a big ocean. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50879” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] An Aleutian island. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50878” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Airglow in the upper atmosphere, and the Milky Way in the background. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_50905” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] The Richat Structure, a land feature in Mauritania. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50904” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Space Flowers. Some of the crop of plants Kelly tended while in orbit. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50903” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Soyuz spacecraft on approach to the ISS. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50902” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Snow-covered fields. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_50900” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Seen from orbit, the launch of the Cygnus resupply spacecraft atop an Atlas V rocket in December of 2015. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50899” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Sand, sea, and islands in the Bahamas. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_50897” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] ‘Fire’. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_50895” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Northwest Libya. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

[caption id=”attachment_50893” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Macedonia. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50892” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Lake Tengis, Kazakhstan. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50891” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Lake Mackay, Australia. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50890” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Italy and the Alps. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50889” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Glaciers in Tajikistan. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50888” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Dunes. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50887” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Cyclone Ashobaa near Oman. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50886” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Colourful skies at sunset. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50885” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Cold weather and cloud formations off the east coast of North America. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50884” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Cloud formation above Qatar. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50883” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Australia. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50882” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] Aurora Borealis over the Pacific Northwest. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50881” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] An overhead view of San Francisco, California, with Golden Gate Bridge visible at lower left. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]
[caption id=”attachment_50880” align=”aligncenter” width=”800”] An oblique mountain view. Image source: Scott Kelly/NASA[/caption]

 All captions and images courtesy Scott Kelly/NASA