Identical twins prepare for space experiment

NASA is calling on a set of identical twins to help it learn more about the impact of space travel on the human body.

Astronaut twins, Mark and Scott Kelly, are prepping for a year-long experiment where scientists will study the affects a long-haul space trip has on the body - more specifically, on the immune system and brain.

To do this, Scott, will be living inside the International Space Station for an entire year, which is a NASA record. His twin brother, Mark, will be staying on the ground where scientists will conduct similar tests. Then they will compare the results.

"We used to finish each others sentences, but that's just because we grew up together," said Mark Kelly.

"This is really going to help us learn a lot about the negative effects of space on our human physiology and then hopefully we'll figure out how to mitigate that," said Scott.

"It is very exciting because it's a chance not only to make very direct comparisons between two individuals who are, or at least one time were genetically identical, given the fact that they've lived full and happy lives since then in slightly divergent ways. But also a way to start using 21st century medical technology to understand what happens to people in long-duration space flight," said Dr. John Charles of the NASA human research program

Scott's launch is scheduled for March 27TH in Kazakhstan.