A Year In Space

The two-part series, A YEAR IN SPACE, is adapted from TIME’s original digital video series about astronaut Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS) is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars.

The first installment, which tracks Scott Kelly’s mission from training and launch, through his 12 months aboard the International Space Station, right up through his descent and landing premiered Wednesday, March 2, 2016 on PBS, timed within a day of Scott’s planned return to Earth.

The second installment originally aired in November 2017.

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Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, left, and his identical twin brother Mark Kelly, pose for a photograph Thursday, March 26, 2015 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Scott Kelly, and Russian Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, and Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Courtesy of Bill Ingalls / NASA

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Astronaut Scott Kelly.

Courtesy of Marco Grob for TIME

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Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly prepares to have his Russian sokol suit pressure checked during the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft fit check with Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and, Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio are preparing for launch to the International Space Station in their Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time. As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Courtesy of Victor Zelentsov / NASA

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Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly waits to climb the scaffolding to access the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft for his final check with fellow crew members Russian Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, and Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Monday, March 23, 2015 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Kelly, Kornienko, and Padalka are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Courtesy of Bill Ingalls / NASA

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Media photograph the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft as it launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 43 NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, Russian Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, and Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) onboard Saturday, March 28, 2015, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Courtesy of Bill Ingalls / NASA

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NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly is seen inside a Soyuz simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Wednesday, March 4, 2015 in Star City, Russia. Kelly, along with Expedition 43 Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos were at GCTC for the second day of qualification exams in preparation for their launch to the International Space Station onboard a Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time. As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

Courtesy of Bill Ingalls / NASA

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Scott Kelly juggles fruit aboard the ISS.

Courtesy of NASA

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American Flag aboard the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS Cupola.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

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View of Earth from the ISS.

Courtesy of Scott Kelly / NASA

Despite the technological “comforts” of the ISS, a year in space—the longest space mission in American history—has been described as the epitome of extreme, with extraordinarily high physical stakes.

Following Scott in space and his identical twin Mark Kelly at home on Earth, the specials will tell the story of what it takes, mentally and physically, to spend a year in space and then, using what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has learned from the Kelly brothers, what it means for humanity as we journey to Mars and beyond.

In the Kelly brothers, NASA has a near-perfect, two-person sample group for biomedical research. NASA is closely tracking Scott’s physical and emotional changes, and his biological functions, down to the molecular level while he is in orbit.

The agency hopes 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.

What NASA learns about how Scott withstands the physical and psychological difficulties will provide scientists with key data to develop methods of overcoming the challenges of human interplanetary travel.

Viewers will witness the rigors of Scott’s training to live in space for an entire year and will get to know his family and their dreams, stresses, fears and loves.

Interwoven into the series’ compelling personal story, the film will also delve 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/engineering conundrums posed by interplanetary space travel.

The second episode will follow what happens to Scott Kelly as he returns to life on Earth. Once back on the ground, NASA will study what happens to the mind and body during and after long-duration space travel.

It also explores the future of humanity’s attempts to live beyond Earth. What will it take – technically and socially – to travel to and establish outposts on other planets, moons and asteroids?

FILMMAKER QUOTES:

“The series represents one of Time Inc.'s most ambitious projects to date. It's an example of the high-quality programming that we are producing across our brands that audiences can access on any platform,” said Ian Orefice, Senior Executive Producer of Time Inc. Video. “We are thrilled to be working with PBS on this monumental program and look forward to a collaborative partnership.”

“The production process on this project is truly exceptional, and the collaboration among partners to bring this story to life and to the airwaves within a day of Scott Kelly’s return is unparalleled,” added Jonathan Halperin. “This series offers one scenario for the potential future of human existence and begins to pose difficult questions about what that future might look like, such as will we be able to establish the human race on other worlds, will we want to, and what will we do with this world?”

WATCH ON YOUR SCHEDULE:

This full episode is available to stream on demand with KPBS Passport, video streaming for members ($60 yearly) using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

"Beyond A Year in Space" is also available with KPBS Passport.

CREDITS:

TIME, owned by Time Inc., created A YEAR IN SPACE in 2015 as a yearlong, 11-part digital video series, produced by TIME’s Supervising Producer Jonathan Woods and directed by Shaul Schwarz. The episodes can be found on Time.com/space.

Produced by TIME’s Red Border Films, with Jonathan Halperin, Mark Mannucci and Jonathan Woods serving as the producers.