Astronaut Scott Kelly, NASA's space-endurance champ who returned to bitterly cold Kazakhstan on Wednesday, said it was "amazing" to feel the cold air when the hatch of his Soyuz capsule popped open after touchdown. Both Kelly, 52, and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, 55, yearned for nature throughout their 340-day mission at the International Space Station, a dry run by NASA for eventual trips to Mars.
— The Associated Press
Scott Kelly, Mikhail Kornienko
In this Jan. 21, 2016 photo made available by NASA, one-year mission crew members Scott Kelly of NASA, left, and Mikhail Kornienko of Roscosmos their 300th consecutive day in space. The pair will land March 1 after spending a total of 340 days in space. (NASA via AP)
Year in Space
In this photo provided by NASA, Russian Search and Recovery Forces move helicopters and support teams from Karaganda to Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in preparation for the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Year in Space
In this photo provided by NASA, Russian Search and Recovery Forces move helicopters and support teams from Karaganda to Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in preparation for the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Year in Space
In this photo provided by NASA, Russian MI-8 helicopter personnel secure their helicopter after arriving at Zhezkazgan Airport in Kazakhstan Tuesday, March 1, 2016, ahead of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Year in Space
In this photo provided by NASA, Russian MI-8 helicopter personnel secure their helicopter after arriving at Zhezkazgan Airport in Kazakhstan Tuesday, March 1, 2016, ahead of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Year in Space
In this photo provided by NASA, Russian MI-8 helicopter personnel secure their helicopter after arriving at Zhezkazgan Airport in Kazakhstan Tuesday, March 1, 2016, ahead of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landing with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
Scott Kelly
In this undated photo provided by NASA on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly looks out the cupola of the International Space Station. Kelly closes the door Tuesday to an unprecedented year in space for NASA, flying back to the planet and loved ones he left behind last March. (NASA via AP)
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