How a 288‑day space mission impacted astronaut health
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after spending 288 days in space. Sunita Williams' appearance had been a concern for doctors. Following an interview with her, one of them shared his observations.
Astronaut Sunita Williams caught attention with her appearance upon returning from space. After 288 days in outer space, Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, landed off the coast of Florida on March 18. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and former Air Force member, observed that Williams appeared healthier in her first interview post-return. Dr. Gupta commented that Williams' face seemed "fuller," possibly due to improved sleep and a return to normal gravitational conditions.
"She's back on level ground. Her metabolism is normalizing to sort of normal gravity," said Gupta, as quoted by the "Daily Mail."
He added that the astronaut likely started eating more healthily, which helped her regain weight. Photos taken shortly after she exited the SpaceX Dragon capsule show Williams with gray hair, deeper wrinkles, and a very thin face. Medical experts also noticed her noticeably thinner wrists, indicating that she experienced significant weight and muscle mass loss.
Health challenges after the mission
Dr. Gupta emphasized that the return to Earth is when astronauts' bodies start to regenerate. "The second you're back on level ground, your body starts to heal and sort of re-equilibrate," he explained. Although Williams returned with gray hair, she appeared in the first interview with her hair dyed black.
Williams and Wilmore's mission was initially supposed to last eight days, but technical issues with the Starliner capsule extended their stay on the International Space Station to over nine months. During this time, Williams visibly lost weight, causing concern worldwide. Dr. Gupta suggested that Williams' space diet might have influenced her condition.
Dr. Gupta explained that if Williams had been avoiding meat-based proteins, it might have contributed to her health problems during the nine months she spent in space.
The medic pointed out that Wilmore, the second astronaut in the interview, did not show similar changes, which might indicate differences in their diets. Specialists are now consistently monitoring the health of both Williams and Wilmore. However, Dr. Gupta is confident that the toughest phase is over for them.
