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Astronaut Scott Kelly’s 12-month stay on the International Space Station tested human limits for spacefaring and laid the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. Despite the technological “comforts” of the International Space Station, a year in space has been described as the epitome of extreme, with extraordinarily high physical stakes.

A Year in Space also follows Mark Kelly, Scott’s identical twin brother. In the Kelly brothers, NASA had a near-perfect, two person sample group for biomedical research. NASA was closely tracking Scott’s physical and emotional changes, and his biological functions, down to the molecular level while he was in orbit. The agency hoped to identify precisely what changes happened to Scott as a result of 12 months in space by comparing him to his identical twin, Mark, on Earth.

The documentary also delves into the broader historical context of the mission, including the history of space exploration, the political background of the Russian-U.S. relationship – Scott’s compatriot at the start of the mission is Russian astronaut Mikhail Korniyenk–and the science and engineering conundrums posed by interplanetary spacefaring.

Inflight rights also available.

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