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Obama Tells Astronaut Heading For Year In Space: 'Make Sure To Instagram It'

Hunter Walker   

Obama Tells Astronaut Heading For Year In Space: 'Make Sure To Instagram It'
Tech1 min read

Obama State Of The Union

AP

President Barack Obama greeting the audience before delivering his annual State of the Union address.

President Barack Obama shared some social media advice for NASA astronaut Scott Kelly in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.

Kelly, who is set to spend one year on board the International Space Station starting in March, attended the annual address as a guest of First Lady Michelle Obama.

The president addressed Kelly after noting his "middle class economics" will help "21st century businesses." He touted the "re-energized space program that will send American astronauts to Mars" as evidence of his commitment to innovation.

Obama praised Kelly's "one-year mission" as an important effort to prepare us for those endeavors. Then he gave Kelly his tip for the trip.

"Good luck Captain. Make sure to Instagram it," Obama said.

scott kelly

AP

Scott Kelly (in blue) standing behind Michelle Obama at the State of the Union address.

Kelly's mission will be the longest any astronaut has spent in space. It is twice the normal length of a stay on the space station and will help NASA see the effects of longterm stays in space on the human body.

While Kelly is in space, his identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, will participate in a NASA study designed to see how twins' bodies perform in different environments. Mark Kelly, a former astronaut, is the husband of former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who became a prominent gun control activist after she was shot in a mass shooting in 2011.

On board the International Space Station, Kelly will be joined by Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, who is also staying for a year. According to CNN, Kelly has said he plans to spend much of his time sending emails, watching TV, writing, and using social media.

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