NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has been joined by John Holdren, science advisor to President Obama and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and former astronaut Mark Kelly for the first public conversation with astronaut Scott Kelly from the International Space Station on Monday, March 30.

The event was aired live on NASA Television at 2:45 p.m. EDT.

Kelly launched Friday on the first-ever yearlong mission to the International Space Station. His mission is believed to help scientists better understand how the human body reacts and adapts to the harsh environment of space, and is critical to advancing NASA’s plans to send humans on a journey to Mars.

Mark Kelly, who flew four space shuttle missions and commanded the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour, will participate in biomedical studies on the ground while his twin is on board the orbiting laboratory.