Fun Facts About Astronaut Scott Kelly

After a record-setting 340 consecutive days in space, Astronaut Scott Kelly has become one of the greatest pioneers in history. In total, Kelly has spent 520 days in space over four missions. After his year in space, Kelly came back to Earth and began to write about his experiences, publishing his memoir “Endurance: My Year In Space and Our Journey to Mars,” and recently published his collection of photos from space in “Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut's Photographs from a Year in Space.” Kelly also travels all over the country to speak with audiences about his experiences, and to share his unique takeaways on persistence, resilience and self-determination that transform the way they may view their own journey through life.

If you're interested in learning a bit more about the astronaut before seeing him at Hershey Theatre on Nov. 10, check out this list of things which may surprise you about his trip!

Claiming he "needed a little humor," Astronaut Scott Kelly posted a video of himself in a gorilla suit chasing another astronaut.

1. He was able to see countless sunrises and sunsets. Every 90 minutes, the Internation Space Station circles around Earth. In his 340-day mission in space, Kelly was able to witness 10,944 sunrises and sunsets.
2.  Kelly traveled the distance between Earth and Mars. In total, the 340-day trip involved roughly 144 million miles of travel, which is about the distance between our planet and Mars.
3. Kelly physically grew after leaving Earth. Without gravity, spinal discs are not being pushed down, and can thus expand, making astronauts taller. In space, Kelly grew 1.5 inches, but went back to his normal height when he came back to Earth.
4. Returning to Earth has resulted in discomfort all over. Astronaut Kelly suffered from extreme muscle soreness and fatigue and his skin burned when he sat or walked. After living in such tight spaces under low gravity, such conditions are to be expected.
5. He didn't shower until he was back on Earth. Because the International Space Station does not have running water, there was a long gap in time between showers for Kelly. When he returned to Earth, he jumped into a swimming pool, fully clothed!
6. Kelly kept up with the news. When Kelly had time, he was able to watch TV, movies, call home, take some photos, send emails, and interact on social media. He closely followed the news, and was able to stay up-to-date with what was happening on Earth.
7. His sights were sometimes beautiful, and sometimes depressing. From space, Kelly called The Bahamas "just striking," and a group of differently-colored lakes in the Himalayas blew him away. Conversely, however, his view of "large swaths of pollution" over Earth, as well as weather systems in unexpected areas, showed him how thin the atmosphere looks, and made him feel like more of an environmentalist.
8. He and his twin are the subject of many studies. Scott and his identical twin brother, Mark, are the subjects of many studies on the way space affects the body. Although Scott hasn't noticed many changes, the two will continue to be examined. NASA says that the twins study will help them reach the goal of sending a manned spacecraft to Mars by the 2030s!
9. Kelly holds two NASA records. With 520 days in space under his belt, Scott has spent more time there than any other NASA astronaut. On top of this, he holds the NASA record for most consecutive days spent in space!

To learn more about the incredible astronaut and his takeaways from his 143-million-mile adventure—including lessons on leadership and teamwork, personal stories of perseverance, and the path that led him to secure his place in history—be sure to grab tickets to see him at Hershey Theatre, Saturday, Nov. 10!

Fun facts about Captain Scott Kelly were found at: https://www.history.com/news/11-things-you-may-not-know-about-scott-kellys-year-in-space