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Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for more than 150 days, has lost a lot of weight, raising health concerns. NY Post,
According to the report, Williams was supposed to spend eight days in space, but his Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered some technical problems and his return to Earth was delayed until February 2025. Meanwhile, NASA and medical personnel noted that his ‘cheeks were sunken’ recently. Picture, news18 quoted NY Post That being said.
A NASA employee was quoted as saying NY Post“She’s become skin and bones.” However, pulmonologist Dr Vinay Gupta said Williams’ symptoms could be attributed to the normal stress that a person faces when living at high altitude. He said that this results in poor nutrition and huge loss of calories.
According to the details, a NASA employee told NY PostAn average astronaut needs about 3,500–4,000 calories per day to maintain weight in space. However, Williams has not been able to provide these inputs. Moreover, at high altitude, preparation as well as consumption of food in this microgravity makes the situation quite complicated. Despite food being available in abundance aboard the ISS, obtaining the right kind of food in such conditions requires effort.
Meanwhile, NASA has ensured that Williams’ health condition is closely monitored and that he regains his proper weight. All command and all the astronauts themselves are completely healthy, and measures have been taken to feed the astronauts properly and take care of their overall well-being.
Technical Issues:
Currently, Williams is stranded on the ISS with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore due to technical problems with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Five of the Starliner spacecraft’s 28 thrusters failed during approach to the ISS.
Four of these thrusters were later returned to service, raising questions about the spacecraft’s propulsion as it is important to control it during the re-entry process.
Among other issues, the spacecraft has also suffered several helium leaks, which were released before and after launch. These have made it difficult for scientists to determine Starliner’s readiness for the return trip. Meanwhile, NASA is considering taking the help of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to return astronauts to space.
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