Amerikanske astronauters erindringer giver et stumt billede af året i rummet

I denne onsdag, 2. marts 2016 foto leveret af NASA, International Space Station (ISS) besætningsmedlem Scott Kelly fra USA reagerer efter landing nær byen Dzhezkazgan, Kasakhstan. I sin nye selvbiografi, den pensionerede astronaut skriver om sit amerikanske rekordår i rummet og de udfordrende livsbegivenheder, der fik ham dertil. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

I sin nye selvbiografi, Den pensionerede astronaut Scott Kelly giver et ufortrødent afstumpet bud på sit amerikanske rekordår i rummet og de udfordrende livsbegivenheder, der fik ham dertil.

Dette er ikke din sædvanlige astronauts erindringer.

Kelly fortæller, at han dykkede på den internationale rumstation efter kasserede måltider, efter at en forsyningskapsel blev ødelagt og endte med "en eller anden fyrs brugte undertøj" i hænderne. Han skriver om trængslen, hovedpine og brændende øjne, han udholdt af høje kuldioxidniveauer og følelsen, som ingen brød sig om i Mission Control i Houston.

I sin bog, Kelly fortæller, hvordan prostatakræftoperation næsten fik ham forbudt fra rumstationstjeneste, og hvordan hans synsproblem under en tidligere rumfart næsten kostede ham et års mission, som strakte sig fra marts 2015 til marts 2016.

Han fortæller, hvordan han besøgte en tatoveringssalon før lanceringen og fik sorte prikker over hele kroppen for at gøre det nemmere at tage ultralydsprøver i kredsløb, og hvordan han lavede ekstra spyposer til en kvalm besætningskammerat.

Kelly sagde sit mål med at skrive "'' Endurance:A Year in Space, Et liv med opdagelse, 'skulle fortælle hele historien.

Så mange andre NASA -astronauters erindringer "fokuserer på de gode ting og ikke nødvendigvis de personlige ting, der skete i deres liv, ting de måske ikke er stolte af, ting, vi alle har, der gør os normale, relaterbare mennesker, " fortalte han til Associated Press. "Så jeg følte, at det er godt at dele, men ... de dårlige ting, også, gør historien mere troværdig."

I denne fredag, 4. marts, 2016 filbillede, NASA-astronaut Scott Kelly taler under en pressekonference i Houston. I sin nye selvbiografi, den pensionerede astronaut skriver om sit amerikanske rekordår i rummet og de udfordrende livsbegivenheder, der fik ham dertil. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

I bogen, han skriver om en lidet kendt hændelse, som han siger, fandt sted under hans første rumstation i 2010, da en russisk kosmonaut kom løs under en rumvandring og begyndte at flyde væk. Heldigvis, Oleg Skripochka ramte tilfældigt en antenne, der sprang ham tilbage mod rumstationen, sætter ham i stand til at gribe fat i og redde sit liv, ifølge Kelly.

Selvom han var ombord på rumstationen på det tidspunkt, Kelly sagde, at han ikke lærte om det, før hans årelange mission fem år senere. da det tilfældigt kom op i samtale med andre kosmonauter. "Jeg var virkelig? Hellig lort. Skør, " huskede Kelly i et AP-interview.

Han huskede, at Skripochka havde set rystet ud, men troede det var fordi han havde været ude på sin første rumvandring.

På onsdag, den russiske rumfartsorganisations presseafdeling sagde, at den kontaktede Skripochka, som ikke bekræftede Kellys konto. Der blev ikke givet nogen anden kommentar.

I denne 12. juli, 2015 foto, Astronaut Scott Kelly tager et foto af sig selv inde i kuppelen, et særligt modul af den internationale rumstation, som giver en 360-graders visning af Jorden og stationen. I sin nye selvbiografi, den pensionerede astronaut skriver om sit amerikanske rekordår i rummet og de udfordrende livsbegivenheder, der fik ham dertil. (Scott Kelly/NASA via AP)

"Jeg har ofte tænkt over, hvad vi ville have gjort, hvis vi vidste, at han drev uigenkaldeligt væk fra stationen, "Kelly skriver. "Det ville sandsynligvis have været muligt at binde sin familie ind i kommunikationssystemet i sin rumdragt, så de kunne sige farvel, før det stigende CO2- eller iltmangel fik ham til at miste bevidstheden - ikke noget, jeg ville bruge meget tid at tænke på, mens min egen rumvandring nærmede sig."

Udgivet af Knopf , "Endurance" udkommer tirsdag. Det samme gør en version til børn, "Min rejse til stjernerne, " udgivet af Penguin Random House.

Den 53-årige Kelly sagde, at han ikke opdagede sin passion for luftfart og rumfart, før han læste Tom Wolfes bog fra 1979 "The Right Stuff" på college. Kelly writes that he was a terrible student and likely suffered from attention deficit disorder.

The former spaceman also tells how he realized right before his wedding that he didn't want to go through with it, but did anyway, leading to a troubled marriage and eventually divorce, and how he initially didn't want "that space station stink" on him—getting space station assignments—for fear it would limit his shuttle-flying opportunities. He flew twice on space shuttles and had two extended stays at the space station, sharing the entire 340-day mission, his last, with Russian Mikhail Kornienko.

In this Dec. 21, 2015 photo provided by NASA, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly participates in a spacewalk outside the International Space Station in which he and Flight Engineer Tim Kopra, not pictured, moved the station's mobile transporter rail car ahead of the docking of a Russian cargo supply spacecraft. In his new autobiography, the retired astronaut writes about his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there. (NASA via AP)

When asked if it was difficult exposing his weaknesses when astronauts are supposed to be perfect or close to it, Kelly replied, "Naw, I feel like I'm like a below-average guy doing slightly above-average stuff."

Kelly figured he might write a book, given it was NASA's longest single spaceflight ever. So he kept a journal in orbit and took notes about how the place looked, smelled and felt "to make someone feel like they were on the space station."

"The book hasn't come out yet, " Kelly said, "and as I get closer to it coming out, I'm thinking, 'Man, I've got to live with this for the rest of my life.' "

Kelly's identical twin brother, Mark, also a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut as well as author, was among the several people who read early drafts. Scott Kelly devotes several pages to the 2011 shooting of his sister-in-law, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Aboard the space station at the time, Kelly wondered whether he was calling his family too much—"whether in my effort to be there for them I was becoming intrusive."

This cover image released by Knopf shows "Endurance:A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, " by retired astronaut Scott Kelly. (Knopf via AP)

Back on Earth and now retired for 1 ½ years, Kelly said he misses being in space. Selvfølgelig, when he was in space, he missed Earth. He credits that saying to a Russian crewmate, Gennady Padalka, the world's most experienced spaceman, and isn't sure the saying made it into the book.

"I need to write a sequel of all the stuff I left out."

This Aug. 10, 2015 photo made available by NASA shows a sunrise from the vantage point of the International Space Station, about 220 miles above the surface of the Earth. Traveling at a speed of approximately 17, 500 mph, the station completes each orbit around the planet in about 92 minutes, with 16 sunrises and sunsets each 24-hour period. (Scott Kelly/NASA via AP)
In this April 9, 2015 file photo made available by NASA, astronauts Terry Virts, bottom, and Scott Kelly perform eye exams in the Destiny Laboratory of the International Space Station as part of ongoing studies on vision health in microgravity. In his new autobiography, the retired astronaut writes about his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there. (NASA via AP, Fil)
I denne fredag, Aug. 10, 2007 image made from video provided by NASA, commander Scott Kelly sits in the flight deck of the space shuttle Endeavour as he prepares to dock with the International Space Station. In his new autobiography, the retired astronaut writes about his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
I denne onsdag, March 4, 2015 photo provided by NASA, astronaut Scott Kelly sits inside a Soyuz simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia. In his new autobiography, the retired astronaut writes about his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
In this March 25, 1999 file photo, NASA astronauts Scott, venstre, and Mark Kelly, who are twins, pose for a picture in front of a mural at Johnson Space Center in Houston. In his new autobiography, the retired astronaut Scott Kelly writes about his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there. (AP Photo/Michael Stravato)
I denne torsdag, May 19, 2016 filbillede, retired astronaut Scott Kelly, centrum, and his twin brother Mark Kelly, back, are greeted by children in the hallway of the Kelly Elementary School after the school was named in their honor in West Orange, N.J. On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, NASA's yearlong spaceman, Scott Kelly, says even after 2 ½ months back on Earth, his feet are still sore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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