Doctors are raising new concerns about the health of the two stranded NASA astronauts who suffered a severe blow last night.
The space agency once again delayed the return of Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore until late March at the earliest, extending their mission to more than nine months.
Williams and Wilmore were only due to spend eight days aboard the International Space Station when they launched on Boeing’s faulty Starliner spacecraft on June 5.
Now, their names could be added to the short list of NASA astronauts who have spent more than 300 days in space. Only five have completed missions of that length.
Dr John Jaquish, biomedical engineer, told DailyMail.com: ‘When they return to Earth, they will be at extreme risk of fragility fractures.
‘They probably won’t be able to walk on their own. They will probably leave the spacecraft on a stretcher and it will take months to recondition their bodies.’
This is not unusual for astronauts after a long mission in space, but doctors have expressed particular concern for Williams, who they say is already showing signs of weight loss and malnutrition, although NASA has denied these “rumors.” .
Williams and Wilmore also face risks to their psychological health, Dr. Carole Liberman, a California-based psychiatrist, told DailyMail.com.
‘Of course, astronauts are taught how to handle stressful circumstances,” he said, “but this scenario of ups and downs, hope or no hope, for 300 days is beyond what they would have expected.”
JINGLE HELL: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on June 5 before the mission (left) and now preparing to spend Christmas in space
‘It wreaks havoc on your psyche, which then wreaks havoc on your body. They would have gathered courage to endure the previous dates they were given for their return, convincing themselves that there are only 10, 9, 8, 7, 6… days left.
‘But, every time he is late, a little voice inside them grows louder, gnawing at them wondering if they will ever come home.
“NASA needs to be transparent and tell them everything they are doing to fix the problem because this trust is all the astronauts have to continue,” he said.
Helium leaks and thruster problems plagued Strainer before, during and after the spacecraft arrived at the ISS. NASA ultimately deemed him unfit to take Williams and Wilmore home.
The agency initially delayed the astronauts’ return until February 2025, when they could travel back to Earth on the SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft.
But now, NASA says the Starliner crew, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will return to Earth after the four-member Crew-10 mission reaches the space station.
NASA and SpaceX aim to launch Crew-10 no earlier than the end of March 2025, which will transport NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, as well as Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut, to the ISS. Kirill Peskov.
Williams and Wilmore will still return home on Crew-9, but that mission will not depart the ISS until Crew-10 arrives to create what is known as a “handover period,” according to NASA.
Williams looks emaciated in this photo from September that sparked widespread concern about her health.
‘He “It allows Crew-9 to share lessons learned with the newly arrived crew and support a better transition for continued science and maintenance at the complex,” the agency said Tuesday.
But doctors told DailyMail.com that the more time Williams and Wilmore spend on the ISS, the more health risks they face.
Long-duration missions to the ISS typically last about six months. Studies have shown that there are significant health risks associated with spending so much time in space.
Those risks include bone and muscle deterioration, exposure to high levels of cancer-causing radiation, fluid changes that can damage vision, kidney stones, cardiovascular problems and more.
By the time Williams and Wilmore return home, they will have been on the ISS for even more than six months, potentially more than 300 days.
While this is not the longest period of time an astronaut has spent in space (that record is 374 straight days on the ISS), it will seriously affect the Starliner crew.
This is because “when the gravitational force is removed, the body sees no reason to maintain bone density and muscle mass, so it begins to break down very quickly,” Dr. Jaquish explained.
Muscle and bone loss has greater consequences than just loss of mobility, such as the aforementioned risk of fragility fracture.
NASA initially delayed the astronauts’ return until February 2025, but now the US space agency says the Starliner crew won’t return home until late March at the earliest.
Boeing’s Starliner returned to Earth without its crew in September after NASA deemed it unfit to carry astronauts home due to a series of technical problems.
Severe muscle loss also increases the risk of organ failure and can be detrimental to cardiovascular health, he added.
There are things ISS astronauts can do to mitigate some of these risks. To counteract the loss of bone, muscle and cardiovascular strength caused by low gravity, they exercise for an average of two hours a day.
But while exercise can slow deterioration, the conditions of spaceflight still wreak havoc on the human body, Dr. Jaquish said.
“They would have to apply very heavy loads to the body on a very regular basis to even maintain any type of strength or bone density,” he said, adding that the exercise equipment available on the ISS is not designed for that level of conditioning. .
What’s more, NASA research has shown that daily exercise is not enough to counteract the effects of spaceflight on the heart, such as arterial hardening and thickening of artery walls, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
All that said, Jaquish believes Williams and Wilmore have been well prepared for this type of scenario, as NASA “does a very good job of preparing for contingencies.”
Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, agreed.
“They are astronauts for a reason, because they have shown through their training and what they have been through that they are able to handle the stress of being at the highest altitudes in a low gravity situation,” he said. DailyMail.com.
“That said, there is a difference between training and real life,” he said, adding that the Starliner crew is at risk of weight loss, muscle atrophy, cardiovascular problems, lack of sleep and hormonal changes, particularly in insulin and the stress hormone, cortisol. .
“I don’t think anything we’re talking about here is life-threatening,” he said.
‘I think this will have impacts. “They will need a medical evaluation, I’m sure they will need recovery, but I don’t think anything here will cause permanent problems.”
Despite experts’ concerns about the physical and mental health of the Starliner crew, NASA has repeatedly stated that the astronauts are fine.
The agency’s chief medical and health officer, Dr. James Polk, previously said: “All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station, including Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are in good health.” It is unfortunate that rumors to the contrary persist.
“NASA and our partners have safely carried out long-duration missions aboard the orbiting laboratory for decades, studying the effects of space on the human body as we prepare to explore deeper into the solar system.
“The crew’s health is regularly monitored by dedicated flight surgeons on Earth, and they have an individual diet and fitness regimen to ensure they remain healthy during their expeditions.”
NASA did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment on Williams and Wilmore’s updated return date.