Spending months in space is no easy feat, and one NASA astronaut has recently shared some surprising struggles that come with extended time in microgravity. After being away from Earth for over 230 days, she has revealed some unexpected physical effects of life aboard the International Space Station.
Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have now been in space for more than 230 days, adding an unexpected twist to their mission. The two astronauts were part of Boeing Starliner’s first crewed flight in June 2024. However, technical issues forced the spacecraft to return to Earth without them, leaving them stranded aboard the space station much longer than planned.
Although they have been in the company of fellow astronauts, neither Williams nor Wilmore expected to stay in space for such an extended period. Now, after 243 days in orbit, Williams has opened up about the toll it has taken on her body. Meanwhile, both Donald Trump and Elon Musk have expressed their desire to bring the stranded astronauts back to Earth, though it’s not as simple as just sending a quick rescue mission.
Williams has sparked concern due to noticeable weight loss and has openly admitted that her body is struggling with basic human functions. Speaking to students at Needham High School in Massachusetts, she revealed a startling realization: “I’ve been up here for so long that I’m trying to remember what it feels like to walk. I haven’t walked, I haven’t sat down, I haven’t done anything like that in months.”
As time goes on, their condition is expected to worsen. Without the effects of gravity, muscles weaken, and astronauts can lose about one percent of their bone density for every month they spend in space if precautions aren’t taken. While NASA has been closely monitoring their health, the original plan to bring them back in February has now been delayed until December 2024, meaning they will remain in space far longer than originally scheduled.
Despite their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore won’t be setting any records just yet. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko still holds the record, having spent a total of 878 days in space throughout his career. Still, this unexpected delay has already led to them experiencing things they never expected—such as spending Thanksgiving in space.
While both Trump and Musk have voiced their urgency in bringing the astronauts back, NASA has insisted that no immediate rescue is necessary. In a social media post, Trump called for Musk’s SpaceX to retrieve the astronauts, stating, “Elon is on the way. I hope they will be safe. Good luck, Elon!” However, NASA has assured the public that they are carefully planning the return and ensuring all safety measures are met. A recent statement from the agency confirmed, “After careful review, the team has determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, after the completion of the new Dragon spacecraft, is the best approach to meet NASA’s needs and achieve our 2025 space station objectives.”
