Scott Kelly’s Orbital Perspective

A record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station did funny things to astronaut Scott Kelly’s body — he grew an inch and a half taller, aged slightly slower than the rest of us, and got used to not feeling the weight of his clothes in zero gravity. When he returned to Earth last March, his skin was so sensitive that it burned every time he moved.

The year above affected his mind, too. Kelly experienced what other space explorers have referred to as the “orbital perspective,” a soul-squeezing view of humankind’s home with all its natural beauty and man-made flaws. He watched neon-green northern lights dance over Canada and mud-red waters of the Nile flood over northern Africa. But he also saw air pollution so thick it hid half of China and saw where thousands of war refugees drowned in the Mediterranean. “It seems so peaceful when you’re looking at it,” Kelly said, “but the reality is so much different.”

Kelly’s mission — which he documented daily through Instagram — was a precursor to the three years of spaceflight it will take to eventually reach Mars. Scientists continue to monitor his physiology and compare it to that of his identical twin brother, who’s also an astronaut but remained on the ground for their unique “Twins Study.” In the meantime, Kelly has also embarked on a speaking tour about his life and his voyage, which will bring him to Santa Barbara on November 14. We spoke by phone last week.