I am Scott Kelly, former NASA astronaut and author of ENDURANCE—ask me anything!

What do you think is the biggest misconception that people have about astronauts?

That they were always the smartest kid in the class, and I was not.

Based on your time in space, what do you see as being the primary challenge of extended human spaceflight missions outside of Earth's orbit?

Funding.

Was it strange to be back on earth with earth smells and earth people?

Yes, it was strange, including the smelly earth people.

How long does it take to get used to looking at Earth and realizing you're not on it? What does it feel like looking at Earth?

Instantly. You just had the ride of your life, and you know you are not on Earth anymore.

It's inspiring.

Thanks for your time in doing this. My question is, What does the ISS smell like? Are there ever any issues regarding smells? and if so how do you go about solving them? Cheers!

We store our garbage on board for a long period of time, so sometimes it can get smelly. In general, though, it's not an unpleasant smell on board. Space itself has a very unique smell, kind of like burning metal.

How do you know how space smells like?

When a volume was previously at vacuum, like after a space walk or a resupply ship arriving, when you open the hatch you can smell it.

Do you give your brother a hard time for being an "old man" compared to you?

No. But thanks for the idea, I will start.

The graph of human health vs prolonged exposure to gravity level only has two data points: one at microgravity and one at 1 gravity. Do you think even small amounts of gravity would help greatly offset the negative health effects of microgravity? For example, would astronauts on the Moon (in 1/6 gravity) fare much better than ISS astronauts do?

I think you definitely have got something there. And that would make a great experiment. The Japanese had some fish they were experimenting on at various levels of gravity below 1g.

Hello! Thanks for doing this!

Considering your total 520 days in space, do you consciously ever feel any differences in your body or health as a result?

Do you ever dream you are back in a weightless environment, and how realistic are those dreams?

I don't feel any differences now. Took about 8 months to feel back to normal. I rarely have a dream about space, unless I'm in space.

Took about 8 months to feel back to normal.

That's actually an amazingly long recovery time. How did it compare to your time adapting to life in space?

I never felt like I was completely adapted to life in space, but the transition to space to me is easier than the transition back.

What beverage options does one have on hand on the ISS? Did you miss any foods/snacks?

We have a lot of juices and coffee and tea. And something that's similar to Kool-Aid.

Do I miss any food/snacks? from space? no.

What was your first meal upon returning back to earth?

A salad.

What are your thoughts on private corporations like SpaceX and BlueOrigin? Also what are your thoughts on rocket reusability and why NASA aren't focused on it. Thanks :)

I think SpaceX and BlueOrigin and other private companies are doing great work.

I don't know why NASA doesn't focus on reusability. It seems SpaceX has proven it's possible.

Have you seen SpaceX's recent Mars architecture update? Any thoughts or opinions? Would you go to Mars in BFR if given chance? (not permanently)

I have not, but I will take a look soon.

Yes, I would go to Mars on the BFR, assuming it works.

What is the scariest experience that you had in space or in the atmosphere?

That's a tough question. The worst time was when my sister-in-law was shot, and I was halfway through a six month flight.

Did you socialize much with the Russians on the station? Does it feel like one team or more like 2 separate teams in different parts of the ISS?

Yes, all the time. They are great friends. But sometimes it seems like we're working on two different space stations, because there are two halves.

How does one clean the ISS?

We have a vacuum we use to clean the filters, and then we have something similar to a wet wipe that we use to clean everything else.

How far away are we from artificial gravity?

It's all about money. Money can solve a lot of problems, including this one.

I'm an engineer at SpaceX. Would you ever consider making the one way trip to Mars?

Absolutely not. I would need the return ticket. Would you?

https://youtu.be/cQC4hIsn4Ow

What happens when you cry in space? Space gorilla explains! What else do you want to know about? Ask me Anything now!

I was a child when man took its first step on the moon. It was such a huge event! At that time, it was life-changing. I’d love to see NASA’s funding upped. So many innovations and milestones came from our space program. Thinking about it is immensely huge. You’ve spent a record time in space, another huge event. What kept you going?

My belief in our mission. And the fact that I couldn't come home, so I had no choice.

There's been more talk recently about the US returning to the Moon. What are your thoughts on this? Should we be keeping our sights on Mars? Or do you think the Moon would be a useful stepping stone?

In a perfect world, the Moon is a great place to learn and practice for going to Mars. But with limited funding, maybe directly to Mars is a better choice.

If you're allowed to elaborate on them, what sort of projects did you do while in space?

Over 400 different experiments in all different scientific disciplines.

How often did you use the ham/amateur radio on-board the station?

If you did, where was the most rural location you talked too?

I didn't have a ham radio license, so the ham radio guy wouldn't let me use the radio.

Hi Scott, thanks for the AMA.

How was getting used to life back on earth after one year aboard the ISS? What was something you had to "learn" again?

Took me about 8 months to feel completely back to normal. The one thing I had to learn again was how to control my daily schedule and decide what I was going to do.

Was there any „boring“ time?

Never bored. too much to do.

Hello Scott, what were you most looking forward to the very FIRST time you were going to space?

The first two minutes and ten seconds, riding on the solid rocket motors.

NASA astronauts have been using the Soyuz to travel to the ISS and hopefully will be able to transition to the SpaceX Dragon in coming years. Do you foresee NASA's SLS program coming to fruition or is cooperation with the private sector the new future of space travel?

Tracking for my of signed copy of your book says it's out for delivery! I look forward to that when I get home today. Saw you speak in Gainesville, FL last year and greatly enjoyed it.

To the low earth orbit, it will be private companies—non-government companies. I hope the SLS program continues. NASA's often challenged when we change administrations, they sometimes change our plans.

Enjoy the book!

What are the biggest general misconceptions surrounding space travel and/or living in space?

That you get to space by launching straight up. You get to space by going really fast and getting out of the atmosphere, which causes us to fly a much lower trajectory than you might think.

I’ve often wondered if astronauts get nervous spending so much time living in the ISS? I mean you’re there for extended periods of time in this amazing structure with so many moving parts and to me it seems like there is so much that could go wrong at any given time, all while looking down on earth.

Thanks for doing good this, I can’t wait to read your book. People have been living up there for a long time now and that’s amazing and I don’t think it gets talked about enough.

Any nervousness, if you want to call it that, for me, was always associated with the bad stuff that can happen to the people you care about on Earth.

Assuming being in space for a year was similar to a military deployment, upon coming home, did you ever miss the rhythm of being in space? Were there any mental challenges to being fully independent again? Thanks for bringing science down to our level both during, and after your NASA career.

Yes, and yes. Very good questions. A lot of similarities to military deployment.

When someone says they would "have sex with an alien", aren't they just saying they would "have sex with an animal from a different planet"?

Seems logical, I guess.

I saw the picture and thought, “What’s Phil Collins got going on?”

Sussudio

Did you feel “smarter” once you got back on earth? The same way pilots say flying opens their mind a bit.

You definitely have a different perspective when you've spent time in space, and some people refer to this as the orbital perspective: a sense of being more empathetic to the environment and the human condition.

How bad is the satellite pollution around the earth from up there? Do you see any projects or initiatives to clear it out?

There's a lot of space junk up there, but you don't see it. There are initiatives to clean it, but that will be a challenge.

What is your favorite space themed movie and/or tv series?

Apollo 13 and The Martian. I used to watch the old school Star Trek.

How many hours did you spend working on average?

Greetings from Germany!

I would say 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

How are you liking retirement?

My retirement does not consist of golf, unfortunately. I'm busier now than I've ever been.

Can you describe what it was like to go on your first space walk?

Surreal. Crazy. Type two kind of fun. Fun when it's done.

What would you say is the best food you had during all your time on the ISS?

The granola with milk was my favorite.

Maybe this is a ELI5 but, does gravity affect your digestion up there? I imagine there's a lot of reflux going on.

Thanks for doing this! I love following the ISS feed.

Gravity is critical to our digestive system. Eventually, you sort of get used to it.

Hi Scott! You're awesome. I was wondering, did you have any free time while on a mission in space? Did you get days off? What did you do with them? What was your favorite activity while in space?

A couple hours every evening, and one day on the weekend. I liked taking pictures of the Earth. It's very beautiful.

Hey Scott! I read a few days ago that your body is having a readjustment period after coming home. I thought it'd be terrifying to know something is going on with your body and no doctor on earth could really help. What's the worst part of the readjustment and are you feeling better?

I'm feeling much better, and we have great medical care. Our doctors were right there along with me, if I needed them. The worst part was the swelling in my legs. That was the most disturbing.

What should I do to become an astronaut?

NASA has minimum qualifications you can find on a website. So, being in one of those fields would be necessary to be a NASA astronaut. And then doing well in that field.

NASA has minimum qualifications you can find on a website. So, being in one of those fields would be necessary to be a NASA astronaut. And then doing well in that field.

Are you a fan of GOT and if so were you able to keep up while in space?

I wasn't until I got to space and binge watched the whole series twice.

What are your dreams for the space program in general?

How about one for the near future and one for a couple hundred years down the line?

My dream would be for the government to allow NASA to continue on a single course and not change plans every 4-8 years. Long term, I think we should have an outpost on Mars and other places in the solar system.

Hello Scott, thanks for doing this.

I am curious: What does a weightless exercise regime look like?

We have a resistive exercise machine that mimics weight very well. We have a treadmill and a stationary bicycle. And we exercise every day...well, I exercised six days a week.

How truly, utterly, indescribably awesome is space? Like on a scale from one to ten.

It's an eleven!

How often would you do space walks? Was there always something to fix up there while you did them? Thanks!

The frequency of space walks vary. I did three in the span of a couple of months. My previous flight, I was there for six months and didn't do any. And yeah, there's almost always something to fix.

Hello! Thanks for doing this AMA! As a person who is terrified of catching every airborne illness on a plain old domestic flight, I'm curious as to whether there is some sort of long-term quarantine process before heading off to the ISS for virus incubation periods to expire? If not, how do you guys avoid getting sick? Or is it just a matter of accepting you're all in this together, cooties and all?

Yes, generally a week to ten days. Works most of the time. There have been cases of people, though, carrying the cold virus to space.

You've mentioned space has a smell, does it have a sound?

No. In space, no one can hear you scream.

Oh, I just thought there might be solar winds or debris or something.

A lot of debris out there, but in space there's no medium for sound waves to travel.

What's your favourite sandwich to make?

I don't make sandwiches, I only eat them. Anything from a New York deli.

Did u really grow 2 inches? Can u come again to DC after Nov? I will be in military training and I will miss you!

I stretched an inch and a half. And upon returning to Earth, I instantly scrunched back down to my normal height of 6 foot 7.

Scott, were you able to share recovery stories with Misha Kornienko? Was your recovery similar to his?

Not much. I think his reaction to gravity on return was similar to what I experienced.

Sir, thank you so much for being such a great role model for children and representative for America on an international scale.

Where is the best place in the world to view space, in the way that space is viewed while in it? How much do you believe space travel will increase in the decades to come? Finally, what’s the most unexpected thing on Earth that brought you joy upon your return?

A really dark place with no pollution. I think we are on the cusp of some pretty exciting advances in space travel. The first dog I saw was the most unexpected thing.

How has your space experience changed your outlook/beliefs in life?

Having a good understanding of the size of the universe, I find it hard to believe there's not life out there. Having said that, I don't think the aliens stopped visiting Earth once everyone got a camera in their pocket.

Okay first, have you ever been completely alone up in space or is someone always up there with you?

If you have been completely alone, for how long and how did it feel?

And if you haven't, are the few people that are up there with you enough to not make you feel lonely?

Never alone. Correct, I've never been lonely. I was up there, at one point, for six weeks with two cosmonauts, and it was absolutely fine.

Hi Scott, thank you for your dedication to world-changing research. We need more people like you.

What are the top physiological and psychological issues you foresee space travellers facing as we take longer and more extended trips into space and to Mars?

Physiological—radiation damage. Psychological—prolonged confinement.

Hi Scott, I wondered what happens when/after you have to sneeze inside the space station? Also, thanks for your great contribution to mankind!

Well if you don't cover your sneeze-hole, something's going to travel for miles and miles and miles.

Hi scott, thanks for doing this.

My question was originally in Interstellar, but do you ever think about how you are a few feet away from nothing? Do you ever feel trapped?

No, I never felt claustrophobic or anything. But you do feel detached from Earth and realize you're not coming back any time soon.

Being in Micro Gravity ... Wearing a Full Fledged Space Suit, How much weight can you actually notice/feel of the suit?

You can notice the mass when you try to move or stop.

Did you see anything strange up there? Like UFOs.

No. However, sometimes stars or even space junk as it passes through the horizon, the atmosphere can make it look suspicious.

I've spoken to him about this as well, but how did you pull off getting a phone call/song from John McDermott? Did you have many other famous callers?

He's a friend of a friend, and it was great having him sing for us in space.

I didn't have many other famous callers. Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan were two folks I talked to on this mission.

Any chance for someone living in a country with no plans for space exploration be in the space industry?

Absolutely. There's a lot of opportunity out there, even if your country does not currently have a space program.

Hello!

Are you aware of the new supercomputer installed on the ISS? Do you have any opinion on this upgrade/experiment and how would better computing have helped you during your time on the ISS?

I am not familiar with that, but I will look into it.

What are your interests now? Would you ever consider working for an organization like The Planetary Society? Or work for a private company like SpaceX?

I spend a lot of time doing public speaking, and I just wrote a book which was a lot of work. I hope, when it comes out tomorrow, people will like it. yes, I would consider all of those things.

Hi Scott,

Thanks for doing this AMA. How was it emotionally and mentally to be away from earth for that length of time? Was it considerably different than your previous experiences in space?

It was different, because it was over twice as long. But I think I was well prepared for it. But it was still a challenge.

What star constellation is now your favorite to look at after being in space for so long?

It's a toss up between Orion the Hunter and the Big Dipper, because those are the only two I know.

What did you miss the most about gravity while in orbit?

The fact that it holds everything down.

Are dreams any different in space?

I wrote down a lot of my dreams, and I have them in my book, which comes out tomorrow! Definitely vivid space dreams that I don't really have on Earth.

What were your responsibilities during take-off and landing?

On the space shuttle, I was the pilot and then the commander. So a lot of responsibilities for operating the vehicle. On the Soyuz, I was more like the copilot to the copilot—a glorified passenger.

Does being up there give you any kind of emotion that most of us will never understand? Like a euphoria sort of feeling? Anything simply unexplainable?

I would say that orbital perspective I talked about in one of the previous questions is what most astronauts experience.

Awesome video about what happen when u cry in space, did u got scare up there?

No. Nor did I cry.

Hi Scott! So from everything I've read astronauts go through extensive training for years, were there any times when you found yourself without any training on how to handle something or unprepared for what was going on?

No. Most cases, I felt over-prepared.

Hello Mr. Kelly, You're an inspiration for me and my science career!

What would be the one thing during your year in space that Gave you An "Aw" moment, anything which you never imagined to see or happen?

Thanks!

The whole thing is a big "aw" moment. Just absolutely incredible.

What planet is most interesting to you? And how hard is it to be an astronaut or a person who gets to go to space?

Earth.

Thank you again so much for doing this!

I know funding is one of the big issue with this, but do you see us or any country at some point in the near future putting a space station on the moon to make interplanetary travel easier since the amount of fuel to take off from the moon would be incredibly less than the amount used to take off from Earth?

Technically, that's possible. But we are often constrained by our budget, so I don't see that happening in the near future, if by near you mean in the next few years.

Hi Scott - what was the thing you found most difficult in your training to go space? Thanks!

Jetlag. We train in a bunch of different countries, and, unlike when you're on vacation, you can't sleep in.

To the naked eye, do the other planets look noticeably bigger/closer than they do from the ground? Or is it still a squint and telescope affair?

We are not much closer. The space station is at 250 miles, so they don't seem bigger. But without the atmosphere, they definitely are brighter.

How long did it take you to fell "normal" after you landed (like you felt before going to space)?

About 8 months. Back to almost normal in about 2 months.

I'm sure it's taboo, but you only live once, so... did you ever see anything up there that made you think we here on Earth aren't the only game in town?

See my previous answer.