Senate Honors NJ Astronaut Scott Kelly

Even after he’s returned to Earth, one of Essex County’s favorite spacemen is still making headlines.

U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez became the latest public officials to honor Scott Kelly – who hails from the Oranges in Essex County – when they lauded his year-long space voyage by introducing an honorary resolution in Washington.

The resolution was passed on March 9, following Kelly’s return to Earth after a 340-day voyage aboard the International Space Station - a record for the longest amount of time any American has spent in space.

• See related article: WATCH: NJ Astronaut Breaks Record For Days In Space

“I am thrilled that we were able to pass this bipartisan resolution to celebrate and honor astronaut Scott Kelly following his record-breaking voyage,” Booker said. “Kelly’s safe return is a proud moment for this outstanding New Jerseyan, for our whole state, and for the ongoing advancement of science and exploration.”

“It’s important that we, as a nation, stand up and recognize greatness in order to inspire youngsters and future generations of what is possible when we push ourselves to excel,” Menendez stated. “With over 100 million miles of space travel under his belt, we commend New Jersey native Scott Kelly’s dedication to science and exploration, and are grateful that a man of his caliber is representing our state and our country to infinity and beyond.”

According to a news release, in 1996, Scott Kelly and his twin brother, Mark Kelly, entered Astronaut Group 16 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at Johnson Space Center. Prior to his record-breaking trip, Scott Kelly spent over 180 days in space over the course of three space flights.

On March 27, 2015, Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko launched into space for a 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station.

Kelly returned to Earth on March 2.

• See related article: Astronaut Scott Kelly Lived 'Adventurous' Life In New Jersey, Prepares For Return Home

U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are also cosponsors of the resolution.

SEE SPACE FROM AN ASTRONAUT’S PERSPECTIVE

Want to know what it looks like in space? Check out our collection of Kelly’s best photos below.

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