Scott Kelly is a former military fighter pilot and test pilot, an engineer, a retired astronaut, and a retired U.S. Navy captain. A veteran of four space flights, Kelly commanded the International Space Station (ISS) on three expeditions and was a member of the yearlong mission to the ISS. In October 2015, he set the record for the total accumulated number of days spent in space, the single longest space mission by an American astronaut. He lives in Houston, Texas.
A stunning, personal memoir from the astronaut and modern-day hero who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station—a candid account of his remarkable voyage, of the journeys that preceded it, and of his colorful and inspirational formative years.
The veteran of four spaceflights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. Now, he takes us inside a sphere utterly hostile to human life. He describes navigating the extreme challenge of long-term spaceflight, both life-threatening and mundane: the devastating effects on the body; the isolation from everyone he loves and the comforts of Earth; the catastrophic risks of colliding with space junk; and the still more haunting threat of being unable to help should tragedy strike at home–an agonizing situation Kelly faced when, on a previous mission, his twin brother’s wife, American Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot while he still had two months in space.
Kelly’s humanity, compassion, humor, and determination resonate throughout, as he recalls his rough-and-tumble New Jersey childhood and the youthful inspiration that sparked his astounding career, and as he makes clear his belief that Mars will be the next, ultimately challenging, step in spaceflight.
A natural storyteller, Kelly has a message of hope for the future that will inspire for generations to come. Here we see the triumph of the human imagination, the strength of the human will, and the infinite wonder of the galaxy.
Art Eddy: Congratulations on your book Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery. Many people are loving this book. I have seen a lot of your YouTube videos where you discuss on what it is like to live space. Just like those videos I enjoyed your book. At what point did you decide you wanted to write this book? Was it before, during or after your last mission into space?
Scott Kelly: I was thinking about it right before I launched and definitely while I was in space. Being the first American to spend that much time in space I thought it would be a good story that people would be interested in. As I got into it the idea that I was a kid that wasn’t a good student and how a book changed my life I thought it would really be a good story for other people to hear.
AE: Many of us will never get to experience what it is like to be in outer space. You have done that a few times. What is one aspect of being in outer space that surprised you about your time in space?
SK: The first time that I flew was on a space shuttle. The most surprising thing was when those solid rocket motors lit and how much energy was involved. Also how seven and a half million pounds of thrust feels right through your back.
AE: What were some of your first few thoughts that was going through your mind when you went into space for the first time?
SK: I was shocked at how beautiful the Earth looks and how fragile our atmosphere appears to be. It is like a thin film over the surface. I was surprised how fun floating around is, but it also makes things harder to do.
AE: I know the past few weeks you have been doing a lot of interviews about your book and your journeys into space. You talked about how much reflection that you were able to do during your missions and while writing this book. What type of reflection were you doing about yourself as a father while you were up in space?
SK: Being isolated like that and not being able to be there in person for your kids if you had to is something that weighed the most on me while I was in space. I was more worried about that and something happening to them than I was about my personal safety. When you have that in your mind it does allow you to reflect on what type of dad you are and what type of dad you would like to be.
AE: What popped into your mind when you found out that you were going to be a father for the first time?
SK: It was a long time ago, but certainly I was excited, but probably at the same time I was terrified. (Both laugh.) I do remember when my second daughter was born I was talking to my oldest daughter who was nine at the time about how much of an impression you make in a kid’s life and how you can mold them to what you want them to be.
AE: What type of conversations did you have with your kids before each of your trips into space?
SK: The first time that I flew into space for each of my kid’s lives they were pretty young. They were too young to comprehend exactly what I was doing. The fact that my brother was also an astronaut made it the family business that the kids have always known. (Both laugh.) That is the only thing that they have ever lived. It was their life. I really never had deep discussions with them about what I was going to do. Certainly every time that you launch into space you tell them you love them and you give them a big hug. It is not like I have ever tried to rationalize the risk that I was taking with them. 
AE: What are some of the core values you look to instill into your kids as they grow up?
SK: Samantha, my oldest daughter asked me when she was younger while we were sitting at the dinner table. She was about seven years old. She asked me, ‘Dad, what religion are we?’ (Laughs.) I said to her our religion is be nice to people and eat all of your vegetables. (Both laugh.)
Maybe that answered your question.
AE: Yeah, I really like that one! It is great. It is like the golden rule. What is the one biggest piece of advice you have for new dads?
SK: Pace yourself. That is what I did during a year in space.
Life of Dad Quick Five
AE: Do you guys have a favorite family movie that you all love to watch together?
SK: Any of the Star Wars movies.
AE: Do you guys have a favorite song that you all like to sing to or dance to as a family?
SK: No, not really.
AE: Describe the perfect family vacation.
SK: Ireland. We just got back from there.
AE: Best type of food you got to eat in space is…
SK: I like the breakfast granola with milk.
AE: I know people were asking you about the trips to Mars in the near future. If you could go to any planet in our solar system which planet would you like to go to if we had the technology to do so?
SK: I would probably go to the moons of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter.
Follow Scott on Twitter at @StationCDRKelly and pick up his fantastic book Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery wherever books are sold.