Astronaut Scott Kelly’s Gorilla Suit Space Escapade

Life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for extended periods can inevitably become monotonous. Between 2015 and 2016, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly spent nearly a year deployed on the space station. To alleviate this monotony and boost his morale, his identical twin brother, Mark Kelly—himself a retired NASA astronaut—devised an unusual plan.

Reflecting on the event during an interview in 2022, Scott Kelly, who is currently 62 years old, recalled:

“One day, I was speaking to my brother on the phone from the space station. Suddenly, Mark said, ‘Listen, I am sending you a gorilla suit in space.’ I asked in surprise, why? He laughed and replied, ‘Because there has never been a gorilla in space before.'”

Mark Kelly, currently serving as a United States Senator for Arizona, prepared the gorilla costume by vacuum-packing it to extract the air and minimise its size. In June 2015, he dispatched the package aboard a SpaceX uncrewed cargo rocket bound for the ISS. However, that initial delivery vehicle exploded in mid-air during transit, destroying the cargo.

Recalling the aftermath of the rocket failure, Scott Kelly noted that when he next spoke to his brother by phone, Mark told him: “Do not be discouraged, I am sending you another gorilla suit.” This second attempt proved successful, and the costume arrived safely at the International Space Station.

The Viral Transmission of the ISS Video

Upon receiving the delivery, Scott Kelly donned the costume and concealed himself inside a storage container. In February 2016, a video of the ensuing prank was uploaded to Twitter. The footage depicted Scott abruptly emerging from a large white bag in full gorilla attire to pursue British astronaut Tim Peake. Due to the zero-gravity environment, Peake appeared to float away in mock terror, creating a highly amusing scene.

Subsequently, a social media user shared a 15-second excerpt of the footage, erroneously stating in the caption that the individual inside the gorilla suit was Mark Kelly rather than Scott. Since its initial upload, the viral clip has accumulated significant global engagement metrics across digital platforms.

Scott Kelly expressed surprise that the public remained so captivated by the incident after so many years. He remarked:

“People are bound to like it. Who doesn’t love a space gorilla? However, I never imagined it would go viral all over again on the internet after all these years.”

Choreographed Sketches vs Genuine Unannounced Pranks

Scott Kelly clarified that the viral pursuit involving British astronaut Tim Peake was not a spontaneous fright. The entire sequence was pre-planned and choreographed between the two astronauts to ensure the footage was as entertaining and humorous as possible.

However, while the interaction with Peake was staged, Kelly conducted genuine unannounced pranks on the remaining members of the international crew, who had no knowledge that a gorilla costume had been smuggled on board. On one occasion, Kelly donned the suit and hid inside a crew member’s sleeping quarters.

Recalling the incident, Scott Kelly stated:

“The moment he went to open his door, I burst out from the inside. Seeing his reaction, I actually felt a bit scared afterwards myself, fearing that the fright might trigger a heart attack or a similar medical emergency.”

Furthermore, Kelly ventured into the Russian sector of the space station whilst wearing the costume. He recounted floating directly into the Russian cosmonauts’ designated area, noting that their spontaneous laughter upon seeing a live gorilla floating in space was almost beyond belief.

Aside from these lighthearted jests, Scott Kelly utilized the gorilla suit to film an educational video intended for children. Explaining his rationale, Kelly noted that such unconventional visual content serves as an excellent tool to spark an interest in science and space exploration among younger demographics, as the sight of a gorilla traversing a space station naturally commands attention. Following his return to Earth in 2016, Scott Kelly officially retired from his career as an astronaut.