Mark Kelly , astronaut , naval flier , and hubby to former member of Congress Gabrielle Giffords , has announced he is tend to be US Senator for Arizona , set science at the shopping center of his campaign . Kelly ’s biography has so many features media outlet do n’t know which to highlight , but to IFLScience he is most notable for being one-half of a major study with his brother Scott , also an astronaut .
Scott and Mark are identical twin . Through some combining of their indistinguishable desoxyribonucleic acid and a shared childhood environment , both became spaceman and the only twins to both extend to distance . NASA construe the potential of the situation , and used Mark – whose four voyages beyond the atm summate 54 daylight – as a comparison for the changes Scott see over almost a year in space .
Life in microgravity , and increase exposure to cosmic radiation , changes people . understand this procedure is essential if we are ever to gain Mars , permit alone the kayoed Solar System , safely . Sending just any one-half of a yoke of identical counterpart would be a very expensive way to inquire this , but Scott ’s impressive record as an astronaut meant he would be an plus to the International Space Station anyway , so it made mother wit to learn more while he was there .
discernible burden , such as Scott ’s increased tallness during his time without sombreness count him down , test temporary , but NASA also famously observedchanges to his deoxyribonucleic acid , some of which did not mate Mark ’s after Scott ’s getting even to Earth . The datum from the study is still being psychoanalyze , but included some surprising and unexplained findings , such as the telomere at the end of Scott ’s chromosome extending while he was in space , before shortening again on his getting even .
When escape for office , being the stay - home part of a expectant experimentation may not be much of a making , but Mark Kelly has wad of others . His master ’s stage in aeronautical technology would make him one of the few senators with a STEM scope , and his naval combat and NASA career both include numerous medals for distinguished overhaul .
When Giffords was shot in the head by a right - extension terrorist and barely survived , Kelly command the Space Shuttle Endeavour ’s last foreign mission four months later . Giffords and Kelly subsequently establishedAmericans for Responsible Solutionsto push for reform of gun jurisprudence .
Kelly has also demonstrated his ability to make significant political points succinctly , providingknock - out responseson Twitter to President Trump .
Kelly is seeking to be the Democrat candidate to operate against Martha McSally , who , after being defeated last year for Arizona ’s other Senate seat , was appointed to occupy the void created by John McCain ’s demise . He say his reasons in the video below .
