Identitical Space Oddity: Twins Separated At Earth...
NASA PUBLISHES OFFICIAL FINDINGS ON 'SPACE TWINS' SEPARATED ABOUT 1 YEAR & WHAT EFFECTS LIVING IN SPACE HAS ON THE HUMAN BODY.
Remember driving in the back seat of a car as kids and telling your annoying sibling NOT to cross the imaginary line onto your side of the car?
Well imagine growing up and that "Do Not Cross" line turning into the Karman Line...
Brings a whole new meaning to the term "I need some space."
Just Kidding . . . kind of.
NASA conducted a study on the affects of extended space travel on the human body in order to prepare for longer missions in the future (possibly Mars). The ideal candidates were a pair of identical twin brothers- BOTH of whom are astronauts!
Video Courtesy of National Geographic.
Meet The 1st Set of Twin Astronauts:
MARK KELLY - Former US Navy Captain, Gulf War Naval Aviator, Retired NASA Space Shuttle Pilot after completing the following missions: The STS-108 in 2001, The STS-121 in 2006, The STS-124 in 2008, and The STS-134 in 2011. Children's Author of the "Astrotwins" and "Mousetronaut" series.
SCOTT KELLY - Former US Navy Captain, Completed the following Space Missions:
Pilot of NASA Space Shuttle Discovery for mission STS-103 in 1999, Mission Commander of STS-118 in 2007, Crewmember of Expedition 25/26 aboard Soyuz TMA-01M in 2010; Flight Engineer for Expedition 26 during return to earth in 2011, served on TMA-16M for 1 year long mission aboard International Space Station (ISS). Commander of NEEMO 4 mission aboard Aquarius Underwater Laboratory (4 miles off shore of Key Largo) in 2002, and crewmember of NEEMO 8 in 2005.
WHAT DOES APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR IN SPACE DO TO THE HUMAN BODY?
*Space Twin (Scott Kelly) GREW 2 INCHES (5CM) !
(The International Space Station's microgravity elongates the spine)
*Earth Twin (Mark Kelly) Gained 4% body mass while Space Twin (Scott) LOST 7% body mass.
(Researchers believe this is due to less exercise in space and a poorer diet than earthly food selections).
*Space Twin (Scott) was slower on the alertness tests less accurate on the brain tests.
(Researchers sight this as possibly due to the stress placed on the human body during "re-entry" into the earth's atmosphere).
*Space Twin (Scott) had the shape of his eyeballs and vision altered as a side effect of being in space for one year.
(Researchers attribute this to the zero gravity aboard the ISS that allows fluid to rush to the head).
VIDEO RECAP COURTESY OF NBC:
FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE NASA TWIN STUDY - SEE CHART BELOW:
HOW LONG WAS THE STUDY EXACTLY?
Space Twin Scott and his Earth Twin Mark were a part for 340 Days or 5,440 Revolutions around the earth.
HOW LARGE IS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS)?
The ISS is 13,690 cubic feet of living space that includes: 6 Sleeping Quarters, 2 Bathrooms, 1 Gym, 1 Bay Window.
HOW MANY TESTS WERE CONDUCTED ON THE TWINS?
A Total of 36 Tests which covered 10 categories as listed here:
SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE NASA TWIN STUDY RESEARCHERS
INVOLVED ACROSS THE GLOBE:
Sources Cited: