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“She Looks Frail”: Doctors Voice Health Concerns Over Astronaut After Spotting Clue In New Image
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have finally touched down on Earth after a long nine months up in space — but they still have a lengthy journey of healing to go through.
After NASA released photos of the two landing back home, walking gingerly, and shaking hands with other NASA personnel after undergoing a series of health checks, doctors noticed Williams’ appearance may be cause for some concern.
Highlights
- Doctors were concerned as astronaut Sunita Williams looked particularly frail after nine months in space.
- Her thin wrists hint at weight loss, muscle wasting, and bone density loss.
- But the two astronuats walking within 24 hours after their return is promising, despite the health concerns.
It’s no surprise that the 59-year-old would look different after such a long time in a harsh environment, but before-and-after photos showing Williams’ now grayer hair, deeper wrinkles, and more gaunt face have clued experts in on just how brutal space has been to the woman’s body.
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More health concerns have been raised since Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore finally returned home after nine months in space
Image credits: NASA
Doctors have pointed out to the Daily Mail that the astronaut’s “visibly thin” wrists may point to a sign of rapid weight loss, muscular wasting in her arms, and bone density loss.
One particular photo also showed an IV sticking out of her wrist, “most likely” an attempt to restore hydration and electrolytes, since microgravity can trick the body into eliminating necessary fluids — which ultimately causes dehydration.
However, the fact that Williams and Wilmore are even walking less than 24 hours after their return is a promising sign, since many believed they would be lacking that ability for some time.
After all, as Dr John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer at Jaquish Biomedical, told the outlet, “That amount of time in space is crushing.”
Image credits: NASA/Keegan Barber
Image credits: NASA/Keegan Barber
To constantly be in an environment where “your stomach is upside down,” it becomes difficult to move food efficiently through the digestive system, causing the astronauts to eat less and wait longer in between meals.
Also weighing in on the situation was Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran.
“I don’t think people realize that you need gravity to exercise your muscles, and if you don’t have gravity, your muscles have nothing to have resistance against,” he explained.
Muscular atrophy, the wasting and thinning of muscle mass, may then lead to being more prone to fractures from simple and minor movements, reducing mobility.
Experts zoomed in on Williams’ thin, frail wrist in photos released by NASA
Image credits: NASA/Keegan Barber
Women, in particular, are at greater risk in space, as they are more prone to bone density loss due to having smaller, lighter bones, and a decline in protective hormones such as estrogen after menopause.
“I’m not surprised that we saw and we’re seeing that she clearly has some issues there, because women tend to be impacted by these things more than men,” said Dr Gupta.
Williams and Wilmore took off in June 2024, intending to reach the International Space Station (ISS) on their spacecraft. Their journey was only supposed to last eight days.
But things took a turn when their vehicle began experiencing helium leaks, pushing fuel into the propulsion system, and resulting in a breakdown of their thrusters.
Image credits: NASA
Image credits: NASA
They were then scheduled to stay on the ISS until February 2025 when they could return back to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
That was then delayed another month — but on Friday, March 14, SpaceX launched Crew Dragon 10 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to retrieve the Crew-9 members, who consisted of Williams and Wilmore, as well as Aleksandr Gobunov and commander Nick Hague.
The Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, was captured by the ISS just after midnight ET on Sunday, March 16.
Image credits: New York Times Podcasts
Williams ended the journey with a heartfelt message to mission control.
“Houston, thank you for tuning in this early morning,” she said. “It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive. Thank you so much.”
But experts have reassured that it’s a promising sign to see Williams and Wilmore walking less than 24 hours after touching down
Poll Question
How do you feel about Sunita Williams's health after her return from space?
Concerned about her rapid weight loss and frailty
Impressed by her ability to walk shortly after landing
Unsure about the implications of her appearance
Confident in NASA's health monitoring processes
What do you think ?
g90814 22 hours ago (edited)
Thats what happens when you spend 8+ MONTHS (actually 9) in space when it was supposed to be only 8 DAYS. MONTHS more to recover from this. I hope they are compensated appropriately.
Steve Sharpe 15 hours ago
Yes, they still got their salary, which for a NASA astronaut is about $150,000 US. Of the people who apply to be astronauts, around 0.08% of them make the cut to start the two year initial training program. That program has an pass rate of around 35%. Of those who make the cut, less than 10% will get to strap themselves to the pointy end of a skyscraper-sized missile, light the boiler, and watch as the Earth shrinks to the size of a beach ball. Given the work they put in to earn their place, I can't imagine that on day nine they were sat there crying about how space is awful and they'd rather be at home watching cartoons and eating McDonald's with their emotional support flamingo.
Load More Replies...
Upstaged75 19 hours ago
For heck's sake, what did they expect? That they'd be the same as when they left? The astronauts are obviously not dying, so stop with the alarmist crud. Of course they're going to have some health issues and need time to recover.
g90814 22 hours ago (edited)
Thats what happens when you spend 8+ MONTHS (actually 9) in space when it was supposed to be only 8 DAYS. MONTHS more to recover from this. I hope they are compensated appropriately.
Steve Sharpe 15 hours ago
Yes, they still got their salary, which for a NASA astronaut is about $150,000 US. Of the people who apply to be astronauts, around 0.08% of them make the cut to start the two year initial training program. That program has an pass rate of around 35%. Of those who make the cut, less than 10% will get to strap themselves to the pointy end of a skyscraper-sized missile, light the boiler, and watch as the Earth shrinks to the size of a beach ball. Given the work they put in to earn their place, I can't imagine that on day nine they were sat there crying about how space is awful and they'd rather be at home watching cartoons and eating McDonald's with their emotional support flamingo.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 19 hours ago
For heck's sake, what did they expect? That they'd be the same as when they left? The astronauts are obviously not dying, so stop with the alarmist crud. Of course they're going to have some health issues and need time to recover.
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