Two American astronauts, orbiting 230 miles away aboard the International Space Station, spoke to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology through live downlink Thursday.
Astronauts Steve Swanson and Reid Wiseman are part of a 6-month mission inside of the football-field-sized space vessel. Their work includes scientific experiments on burning, medical research on chemotherapy, as well as preparing for future aerospace missions such as going to Mars.
Swanson is scheduled to return home in late September, while Wiseman will stay until November. Length of the current six-month missions will double in the near future.