Year-in-space astronaut Scott Kelly retires after record-setting adventure

After spending nearly a year in space, astronaut Scott Kelly is hanging up his spacesuit. NASA announced Kelly’s retirement on Friday, less than two weeks after he returned to Earth. He leaves the space agency on April 1. The 52-year-old Kelly spent a U.S.-record 340 days in orbit on the International Space Station to see how the human body holds up for long periods of time in space.

To continue toward any journey, we must always challenge ourselves to take the next step.

Scott Kelly on Facebook

During his one-year trip he posted hundreds of images, mostly of Earth from orbit, on social media. But he also engaged in a little fun, donning a gorilla suit that was a gag gift from his brother and chasing fellow astronauts through the space station in a video. "This year-in-space mission was a profound challenge for all involved and it gave me a unique perspective and a lot of time to reflect on what my next step should be on our continued journey to help further our capabilities in space and on Earth,“ Mr Kelly said in a statement issued by Nasa. Kelly will continue to undergo periodic medical tests as part of his mission, Nasa said.

Adjusting in space is easier than adjusting to Earth for me.

Scott Kelly

Scott Kelly