NASA is set to bring Scott Kelly home on March 3, ending his record-breaking mission is space, which has brought us closer to putting a man on Mars. Watch video
In less than a month, New Jersey's record-setting space explorer will return home after completing his record-breaking mission at the International Space Station -- a year-long undertaking that is a "stepping stone" to putting a man on Mars.
U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly of New Jersey inside the International Space Station. Scott Kelly, the NASA astronaut born in West Orange, has lived in orbit around the Earth since last March as part of a historic scientific undertaking to understand the effects zero-gravity has on a human over an extended period of time.
"I think a lot of people think that because we give the appearance that this is easy. ... I don't think people have an appreciation for the work that it takes to pull these missions off," Kelly said in a Reddit AMA in response to question about the public's misconception about space travel.
NASA is set to bring him home on March 3.
But why was Kelly chosen for the year-long mission 250 miles about the Earth's surface at the ISS?
Besides having nearly 20 years of experience in space travel, Kelly is an identical twin -- allowing testing at a genetic level.
Although NASA has studied for years how weightlessness affects humans, scientists say being able to conduct genetic studies on Kelly and his brother Mark Kelly, who is a former NASA astronaut, will further explain a number of subtle effects and changes while living in space -- an experience that Kelly says it "feels like there is no pressure at all on your body.
"It's almost like you are in a bed rest," he said. "There is no pressure or pain. I do stretch before I exercise because my muscles aren't stretched out, they are somewhat dormant."
Scientists will specifically look for any degeneration or evolution in his body, including changes in organs and immune system as well as bone and muscle loss, through a series of blood and physical tests.
Before blasting off on March 27, 2015, Scott Kelly even joked in a interview that when he returns, he will actually be taller than Mark, albeit a minuscule amount from the lack of gravity.
Although Kelly's height increase may be insignificant to most, the scientific breakthroughs achieved on the ISS over the last year have been substantial steps forward for space exploration -- specifically, the advancements in agriculture.
"The farther and longer humans go away from Earth, the greater the need to be able to grow plants for food, atmosphere recycling and psychological benefits," said Dr. Gioia Massa, NASA's science team lead for vegetable experiments on the ISS.
In January, Kelly shared with the world the first flower to ever bloom in zero-gravity. And a few months prior, the astronauts harvested the first crop of edible plants -- lettuce -- ever grown off the Earth's surface.
The milestones in space farming is a crucial step in planning a deep space mission, according to scientists, which would provide a food sources for the astronauts on an expedition to Mars.
NASA says it will send humans the Red Planet in the 2030s, a mission that Kelly said he hopes to play a part in, even fly the ship if NASA would let him.
"I've flown the space shuttle a couple of times, so I would want to fly to Mars," he said. "That would be something new and exciting, and is the next step in our journey of space exploration."
Over the past year, Kelly has also: broken the record for time spent in space by any American; participated in his first spacewalk as the 33rd astronaut to walk outside the ISS and shared hundreds of images, updating the world on his daily adventures using a Nikon D4.
Kelly's favorite spot to gaze on from space? The Bahamas, he said.
One of those photos even led to conspiracy theory about aliens but NASA has not commented on the "UFO sighting."
On March 2, the day before Kelly returns, PBS will air a series, "A Year in Space," chronicling the grueling 342 days at the space station and the vigorous training to prepare for the trip.
Starring both brothers, the show promises to discuss what the trip means for an eventual expedition to Mars.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.