Astronaut, Cosmonaut Return After 340-Day Stay On Space Station

After a record 340 days on the International Space Station, astronaut Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko return to Earth, and prepare for more tests on how the time in space affected their bodies.

It’s been a long time since astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko felt firm ground under their feet, breathed the cool Earth air, or even had running water. Now, they are finally home and can enjoy some of the things we might take for granted.

After a record 340 days on the ISS, both returned in their space-bound limo, a Russian Soyuz TMA-18M capsule late last night in Kazakhstan. Their chauffeur was cosmonaut Sergey Volkov.

While in space, the two men performed many tests designed to get more information on what astronauts will face during prolonged stays in a weightless environment, with the results aimed specifically at planning a trip to Mars. Now that they are back on Earth, they will undergo even more tests to help flesh out the findings.

With the end of the mission, Kelly is now the NASA vet with the most space time – a whopping 520 days. Kornienko is not far behind with 516 days, but Volkov beats them both with 548 days spread over three flights.

Check out the gallery below for highlights from the year in space.

And then you can hear the interview with the crew after their return and recovery.

Source: NASA