NASA astronaut Scott Kelly broke the American record for most days spent in space on Friday, his 383rd day across four missions.
"Breaking such a record for time in space is important because every additional day helps us better understand how long-duration spaceflight affects bodies and minds, which is critical to advancing NASA's journey to Mars," NASA said in a statement,
CNN reported.
Kelly currently resides on the International Space Station (ISS) and is scheduled to reach a total 522 days in space by the time he returns to Earth on March 3, 2016. His current mission has been branded as the "Year in Space."
The official Twitter account of the ISS tweeted a congratulatory note and video on Friday to commemorate the occasion. Kelly also responded on Twitter, sending out a humble note.
The American record for most days spent in space was previously held by Mike Fincke, who completed 382 days. Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who returned to Earth on Sept. 12, holds the world record for most days in space: 878.
Scott Kelly is the brother of retired astronaut Mark Kelly. Mark Kelly is married to former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
During his recent trips around the planet, Kelly has been releasing breathtaking photos of the Earth, adding them to a running hashtag campaign, #EarthArt.
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