Amid reports that astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are losing alarming weights while in the ISS, NASA is keen on the health of these astronauts. They were set for short missions but have since been in space for much longer due to delays in their flights caused by Starliner. The delay must give much concern over how long the effects of this extended space travel do to the astronauts’ health.
Weight Loss Causes Alarms on Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
Recent photos of astronaut Sunita Williams have rung alarm bells for her health. NASA printed images that showed Williams was visibly thinner, an issue that began spreading on the internet like wildfire. Williams has been aboard the ISS for more than five months. She dismissed the concern on fluid shifts that commonly happen in microgravity. “People in space, you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body,” Williams said on Tuesday, dismissing suggestions that her weight loss was a cause for concern.
Still, Williams is not the only astronaut who’s experienced changes in body mass. Her colleague, Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who was supposed to head out on an eight-day mission, has been onboard the ISS more than five months due to technical problems with the Starliner spacecraft. Said a NASA insider: “He had a lot more mass at the start. He’s losing weight, but it’s just not as dramatic as what Williams is going through.”. “It’s not that big of a deal, but it is happening and is happening in the background.”
Unplanned Extra-Extended Mission This was because of the thruster
malfunctions and helium leaks that were keeping the Starliner from returning them to Earth. But the astronauts will be back in February 2025 on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. According to a NASA employee well-informed of the mission, things had been “very unpredictable.” The astronauts were expected to be at the ISS for only a week but have since remained there nearly six months. “They should be home by now,” an insider added.
Monitoring Health Conditions and Privacy Issues
While the fat loss of Williams and Wilmore is a subject of debate, NASA claims that both astronauts are perfectly fit and under constant medical checkup. A NASA spokesperson, Jimi Russell, says in a statement reassuring the public that all astronauts on the ISS are under routine checkup. “All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” Russell said.
However, there are nagging concerns that sensitive information will leak out. Insiders at NASA say no employee is allowed to say anything about an astronaut’s health; the penalty for violations is very severe. “HIPAA laws apparently apply to NASA, too,” one insider said.
Effect of Space Travel on the Health of Astronauts
Among the problems facing the astronauts on such long space travels, another emerges in the realm of health. The health risks astronauts face during long-duration space missions have also been an area of growing concern. Last week, four astronauts of SpaceX Crew-8 who returned after almost eight months in space were admitted to the hospital. One of the astronauts had to spend a night in a Florida hospital for further medical evaluation.
NASA has paid close attention to the health issues arising in the course of extended-duration space missions; the hype for longer-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, however, will raise still stronger concerns.
