A joint mission by NASA and tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, Crew Dragon-10, gears up to bring back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore to Earth on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
As per the NASA report, both the astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth no sooner than March 19. Amid the days-long process, the prolonged stay of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has raised concerns over the physical complications they may face due to their prolonged exposure to space and lack of gravity.
US astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been unexpectedly stranded in space for nine months due to technical issues, may face some physical challenges upon their return to earth.
Earlier, NASA astronaut Terry Virtus, who went on a 199-day mission on the International Space Station (ISS), had linked the experience of returning to Earth again to the flu, mentioning that he had required weeks to recover from the dizziness.?
According to earlier research by NASA, astronauts experience a loss of bone density and muscle atrophy due to the lack of Earth's gravity bearing down on the body.?
The research noted that this can lead to serious health conditions if not treated on time.?
Former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao told NewsNation Prime that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore might experience problems in walking once they return. He also stated that astronauts also experience 'baby feet' after a long time of space travel.?
This is mainly caused by the weightlessness experienced in space causing calluses on the feet to disappear. "You basically lose the thick part of your skin,” Chiao said.
Now you must be wondering how the brains of the astronauts returning to Earth process. Well, astronauts experience a disorder called Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS).?
SANS occurs when there is an increase of fluid in the brain, which can lead to hearing loss, vision loss, and cerebral oedema.
On the other hand, the heart in space changes from an oval shape to a round shape. Additionally, the muscle atrophy constricts the blood vessels that cause damage to the circulatory system.
Hence, upon returning to earth, the loss of blood volume can make it difficult to regulate the blood pressure and may cause dizziness and nausea.
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