WATCH: N.J. Astronaut: 'Parts Of The Earth Look Sick'

Astronaut Scott Kelly gave one of his final interviews from the International Space Station Thursday, weeks before he will return to Earth after spending nearly a year in space.

Kelly, a New Jersey native, told CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta parts of the Earth’s atmosphere looks “very, very fragile” and is “something that we need to take care of.”

“When you look at the atmosphere, I wouldn’t say, the thin veil of the atmosphere on the rim of the Earth, I wouldn’t say it looks unhealthy, but it definitely looks, very very fragile and this thin film,” Kelly said. “It definitely looks like something we need to take care of.”

Kelly said that there are parts of Asia and Central America that when look at them, you’re always looking through a haze of pollution.

“As far as the atmosphere is concerned, and being able to see the surface, you know, I would say definitely those areas that I mentioned look kind of sick,” Kelly said.

Kelly is on his 502nd day in space and the 322nd of his yearlong mission aboard the International Space Station. He has been in space longer than any other U.S. astronaut.

Part of the mission is to study the feasiblity of sending people to Mars. Going to the Red Planet would take at least nine months. Kelly said going to Mars is “definitely feasible.”

Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will return to Earth March 1.

Photo: A picture of Africa Kelly took from the International Space Station/Scott Kelly’s Twitter