"It seemed to me that I was there forever; Sometimes you go crazy in space"

Scott Kelly, the American astronaut who returned to Earth after spending 340 days on the International Space Station, reported muscle pain and vision changes. At a press conference in Houston, Kelly said that "the schedule and the assignments kept my sanity." When he returned home late at night - he jumped into the pool. His twin brother Mark reassured: "He didn't lose his sanity"

The news is based on Yaron Druckman's article in YNET and additions by Avi Blizovsky

Scott Kelly, who broke the record for the longest stay in space for American astronauts, is recovering from his extended stay on the International Space Station. Yesterday (Friday) he appeared at the first press conference at the Space Center in Houston and told about the long experience: "It seems to me that I was there forever. It seems longer than I thought." Now Scott Kelly and his twin brother Mark will have to conduct a long series of tests to check how a prolonged stay in space affects the human body.

For an hour the American astronaut sat in front of the journalists and answered their questions at length. He seemed relaxed, but admitted several times that he was suffering from muscle and bone pains that he did not use during his stay in space. Kelly, who spent 340 days in the International Station and provided quite a few amazing photos from space, said: "Earth is a beautiful place. The International Space Station is a good place to observe it, to see what its atmosphere looks like." He was also asked about the prolonged stay in space, and replied: "Sometimes you go crazy in space. I think NASA does a good job of selecting the right people for the mission. In such an environment sanity is important to your survival. I think the schedule and tasks kept my sanity." Kelly added that he mostly enjoys conducting the scientific experiments in space.

The American astronaut was also asked about his health and replied that he now feels better than the last time he returned from space, but admitted that he is in pain. "The pain in the muscles is much stronger than the last time I was in space," he said. "My legs hurt when I sit or lie down." According to him, he tried to throw a ball into the basket, "but I couldn't reach the ring".

About a longer stay outside the Earth, which would require astronauts going on a mission to Mars, Kelly said: "I could have spent more time in space - if there was a reason for it. If it is a scientific reason. If you do something important - it makes you keep doing it. The first people to reach Mars should be highly motivated. We have some challenges with a prolonged stay in space, such as radiation." According to him, whoever will be sent to Mars will have to know how to deal with being in a spacecraft with little space and with additional people.

The American astronaut also addressed the problems of air pollution on Earth. He said that it is possible to see from space that parts of Asia, and especially China, suffer from high air pollution and so do areas in the United States - such as Los Angeles. "People say that it is necessary to save the planet. The earth will be fine, it will recover - but without people," Kelly said. "We have the ability to influence if we decide to do so."

Kelly begins to readjust to life on Earth. He had dinner with his family and tweeted: "I missed eating around the table when I was on a one-year mission in space." Kelly even posted a video of himself jumping into a pool while wearing an astronaut uniform.

In a post he published on his Facebook page from his home in Houston, he wrote: "I've been busy since I came back. After my arrival, I was at NASA for some medical tests and to collect information for the ongoing research. After a long night I arrived at my house. It's great to be back on Earth. There's nothing like being at home."

Kelly, who returned to Earth on Wednesday this week, after spending 340 consecutive days on the International Space Station, Raised in this period by 5 cm. His brother Mark said in a press conference that his brother came back very tired from the long mission in space. Brother Mark was asked if Scott's health or mental state was affected, especially after the astronaut who returned from space this week - published a video of him jumping into the pool. Mark Kelly replied that the video was taken at 4:00 am (Houston time) and that Scott is doing very well.
Kelly's return from the longest space mission by an American astronaut is expected to set in motion a wave of medical experiments designed to pave the way for extended missions to Mars. Kelly, 52, said at the press conference in Houston: "The intensity of the muscle pain and fatigue has increased since last time. I also have a skin problem because I haven't touched anything for such a significantly long time so the skin is very sensitive. I feel a burning sensation every time I sit, lie down or walk."
Before leaving the space station he told scientists that he was experiencing vision changes, which, it turns out, happens to about half of astronauts on long space missions.
"I got used to moving at a speed of 28 km/h, but planes don't reach that speed," he said after the long flight that lasted just one day after landing from Kazakhstan to Houston, where he arrived at 02:30 at night.