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Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
Sat Oct 28, 2017, 04:31 AM Oct 2017

Stephen Colbert: The First Thing Captain Scott Kelly Did On Earth After 340 Days In Orbit



Captain Scott Kelly, astronaut and record-holder for most consecutive days spent in space by an America, reveals what his first stop was upon landing back on Earth.
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TrollBuster9090

(5,953 posts)
1. Interestingly, the previous record was held by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev,
Sat Oct 28, 2017, 05:05 AM
Oct 2017

who spent an un-planned 313 days on the Russian Mir space station in 1992. The Soviet Union collapsed while he was up there, and then Russia and Ukraine spent a year squabbling about who was going to pay to bring him back down.

(The little known back story to that was that Krikalev broke the world record for continuous masturbation while he was up there. Quite an accomplishment, considering the only thing he had for inspiration was a copy of the Pravda Sports Review that featured a picture of Martina Navratilova doing a backhand slam. Poor bastard.)

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
2. I actually visited the Exhibition for Economic Achievement in Moscow
Sat Oct 28, 2017, 05:34 AM
Oct 2017

It's kind of like a permanent World's Fair. I was there just before the USSR fell, went with my grandmother who was part of a peace group. It was a fascinating trip, all experienced travelers and mostly senior citizens - and me. Since our time was limited, we had to choose what we would see and we decided on the Space Exhibition. They are really proud of their accomplishments and the exhibition was quite extensive. But I remember when the guide talked about one cosmonaut who had spent so long in space that he had to be carried when he arrived back on earth - because his muscles had atrophied.

It's not something I've ever aspired to - that story made me feel a little woozy - but growing up we followed every mission - we even watched them in school - and I love following whatever's happening now. And Captain Kelly tells a great story. I hadn't heard the back story you mentioned - I'd be willing to bet that the guides in Moscow don't relate that one...

TrollBuster9090

(5,953 posts)
3. Hehe, the backstory was just a joke. It wasn't even my joke. I think I head it on SNL
Sat Oct 28, 2017, 05:08 PM
Oct 2017

I think I heard it on SNL Weekend Update at the time. Joke about this poor cosmonaut being marooned on the Mir space station for a year, all by himself with nothing to do. It must have been horrible for all sorts of reasons. Also, apparently the Mir space station's air ducts were clogged with mold and fungus. So, you'd be miserable if you were allergic to mold and mildew. The mold was supposedly brought on board by the Drosophila (fruit flies) they were using to do genetics experiments in space. I guess the fruit flies had the last laugh on that one.

miyazaki

(2,220 posts)
4. One or two cosmonauts would light up a smoke on occassion aboard Mir
Sat Oct 28, 2017, 05:52 PM
Oct 2017

-seem to remember that from the book Dragonfly.

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
5. Ah! I should have figured that out, though that's not something Scott Kelly would discuss on network
Sun Oct 29, 2017, 05:25 AM
Oct 2017

TV. One thing that does give me hope are the cordial relationships that develop between the astronauts and cosmonauts who are up there together. They're setting an example that our current leadership should consider following.

And your joke about the marooned astronaut reminded me of the movie "Gravity," one of the few films I actually saw in the theater in recent years. The main point seemed to me to show off the 3-D effects, but the storyline was about a lone - well, she wasn't really an astronaut, but a specialist sent into space to make a needed repair - astronaut who was stranded due to an accident and had to find a way to get back to earth. The actual storyline was rather thin but the scenario was scary enough!

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