Scott Kelly
Generated by DeepSeek V3.2Expansion Funnel Raw 58 → Dedup 0 → NER 0 → Enqueued 0
| Scott Kelly | |
|---|---|
| Name | Scott Kelly |
| Caption | NASA portrait |
| Type | NASA astronaut |
| Status | Retired |
| Nationality | American |
| Birth name | Scott Joseph Kelly |
| Birth date | 21 February 1964 |
| Birth place | Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Naval aviator, test pilot |
| Rank | Captain, United States Navy |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group |
| Time | 520d 10h 33m |
| Mission | STS-103, STS-118, Soyuz TMA-01M, Expedition 25, Expedition 26, Soyuz TMA-16M, Expedition 43, Expedition 44, Expedion 45, Expedition 46 |
| Insignia | 40px 40px 40px 40px |
| Retirement | April 1, 2016 |
Scott Kelly is a retired NASA astronaut, naval aviator, and engineer renowned for his contributions to long-duration human spaceflight. He is best known for spending nearly one year aboard the International Space Station as part of a groundbreaking study comparing him to his identical twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly. His career, spanning four spaceflights and over 520 days in space, has provided critical data for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Early life and education
Born in Orange, New Jersey, and raised in West Orange, New Jersey, he is the identical twin brother of former astronaut and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. He graduated from Mountain High School before receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1987. He subsequently earned a Master of Science degree in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1996. His military career began when he was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program and designated a naval aviator in 1989.
NASA career
Selected by NASA as part of Astronaut Group 16 in 1996, he completed two years of training and evaluation at Johnson Space Center. He served in various technical and leadership roles, including as a Space Shuttle CAPCOM in Mission Control and as NASA's Director of Operations in Star City, Russia, supporting operations with the Russian Space Agency. His expertise in International Space Station systems and Soyuz operations was integral to his later long-duration missions.
Spaceflight experience
His first spaceflight was as a Mission specialist on STS-103 in December 1999, a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. He served as pilot on STS-118 in August 2007, a mission to deliver components to the International Space Station. His first long-duration mission began in October 2010, launching aboard Soyuz TMA-01M to serve as a flight engineer for Expedition 25 and later as commander of Expedition 26, returning to Earth in March 2011 after 159 days in orbit.
Year-long mission and research
In March 2015, he launched alongside Mikhail Korniyenko of Roscosmos on Soyuz TMA-16M for a historic year-long mission aboard the International Space Station. As a flight engineer for Expedition 43 and commander of Expeditions 44 and 45, he spent 340 consecutive days in space. The mission served as a crucial part of NASA's Twins Study, comparing his physiological and molecular data with his Earth-bound twin, Mark Kelly, to study the effects of long-term spaceflight. Research areas included changes in gene expression, telomere length, cognitive function, and the microbiome.
Post-NASA activities and advocacy
Following his retirement from NASA and the United States Navy in 2016, he has been a prominent advocate for space exploration and STEM education. He authored the bestselling memoir *Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery*. He frequently speaks on leadership, teamwork, and resilience, drawing from his experiences. He has also served as an advisor for various aerospace and technology companies and is involved with organizations promoting science communication and environmental awareness.
Awards and honors
His numerous decorations include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Russian Federation's Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration". He has received the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale's Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal and was named a Time magazine "Time 100" honoree. Several educational institutions have awarded him honorary doctorates in recognition of his contributions to science and exploration.
Category:American astronauts Category:International Space Station personnel Category:1964 births