{"id":19654,"date":"2015-03-27T22:52:01","date_gmt":"2015-03-27T14:52:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/its-the-final-countdown-to-the-launch-of-nasas-year-in-space\/"},"modified":"2015-03-27T22:52:01","modified_gmt":"2015-03-27T14:52:01","slug":"its-the-final-countdown-to-the-launch-of-nasas-year-in-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/its-the-final-countdown-to-the-launch-of-nasas-year-in-space\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s the final countdown to the launch of NASA\u2019s Year in Space"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo
Photo via NASA\/Bill Ingalls\/Astronaut Scott Kelly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s about to happen: NASA\u2019s \u201cYear in Space\u201d is set to take off today, as Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko begin their 12-month mission aboard the International Space Station.<\/p>\n

Coverage starts at 2:30 ET\/11:30 PT, and takeoff is set for 3:42 p.m. ET\/12:42 PT. You can watch it all on NASA TV.<\/p>\n

The one-year mission will be the ultimate test in the \u201climits of human research, space exploration and the human spirit,\u201d according to NASA, making Kelly the first astronaut to spend a year in space as most missions last four to six months. This mission will provide vital information as to how humans can handle much longer periods of time in space, which will help us develop journeys to Mars and beyond.<\/p>\n

Astronaut Scott Kelly\u2019s Twitter feed offers a modern-day journal of preparing for this epic journey. It\u2019s quite poetic. Kelly posts pictures of things he\u2019ll miss in his day-to-day life, including a stroll, and mentions sleeping in his bed for the last time, before he blasts off.<\/p>\n

Scott told ABC News that will be a tough year, as he\u2019s already done a six-month stint. After \u201cabout four months, you start thinking, you know, there is a lot of stuff I miss on Earth,\u201d he said in the interview. \u201cI feel like I have accomplished everything I need to, and I am sorta ready to go home.\u201d He adds that he\u2019s hoping space-station fever doesn\u2019t set it in as fast this time around.<\/p>\n

This mission is especially important for Kelly as he\u2019s part of the \u201cTwins Study,\u201d his twin astronaut Mark Kelly remaining on earth acting as the control subject. NASA scientists say this mission is crucial to understanding how long exposure to zero gravity affects bones, muscles and human psychology.<\/p>\n

See a few of Kelly\u2019s tweets below pre-countdown:<\/p>\n