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U.S. astronaut receives medical checkup after yearlong mission

Xinhua, March 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly started to receive medical tests on Thursday after returning to Earth from a yearlong space mission.

The tests, which will compare Kelly to his twin brother to determine the effects of extended space flight on the human body, aim to help NASA take the next step to send humans to Mars.

The 52-year-old veteran space explorer returned to Earth this week after 340 days and 230.4 million km in orbit in the International Space Station.

The tests to see if humans can withstand long-term space radiation and the impacts of long-term isolation are already under way, according to ABC13 television.

Just after he touched the soil at Houston's Ellington airport, Kelly said, "It's an unbelievable feeling to be back here on planet Earth, back in our country, with my family and my friends." Endi