Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have been stuck aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for five months, although they were originally scheduled to stay there for only eight days. A backup plan is planned to bring them back to Earth, but some people still worry about them. Especially for Suni Williams.
Based on recent images of the American astronaut, the Daily Mail and the New York Post questioned the worrying weight loss. In a statement to the press, Dr. JD Polk, head of health and medical care at NASA, assured that Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are doing very well.
« All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station are in good health “, he indicated. “ It is unfortunate that the rumors persist “. In a video interview conducted on November 12 aboard the ISS, Suni Williams said that she weighs the same as when she arrived on the space station.
« NASA and its partners have safely conducted long-duration missions aboard the orbiting laboratory for decades, studying the effects of space on the human body as we prepare to explore further into the solar system said Dr. Polk. “ The crew’s health is regularly monitored by dedicated flight doctors on Earth, and they follow an individual diet and fitness program to ensure they stay healthy throughout their expeditions. »
Who are the astronauts?
Butch Wilmore, 61, and Suni Williams, 58, are veteran astronauts and both naval officers and former test pilots. Suni Williams has been a NASA astronaut since 1998 and Butch Wilmore since 2000. Both have extensive space experience.
photo credit: NASA NASA astronauts ‘stuck’ aboard the ISS, Suni Williams (foreground) and Butch Wilmore
Suni Williams is the former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and longest spacewalk time by a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes). In 2007, she ran the first marathon in space.
Butch Wilmore piloted the Space Shuttle Atlantis on a mission to the ISS in 2009. In 2014, he was part of the ISS crew that used a 3D printer to make a tool, a ratchet wrench. This was the first time humans made something off-planet.
Return planned for February 2025
The two NASA astronauts arrived aboard the ISS last June with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. This was the first manned flight of the spacecraft which should qualify it to ensure crew rotations alternating with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. But several technical problems that emerged during the flight and the stay prompted NASA to play it safe by sending the Starliner back to Earth empty on September 6.
photo credit: NASA Boeing’s Starliner capsule docked with the ISS
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were forced to extend their mission. They will return to Earth in February 2025 aboard a Crew Dragon Capsule.
Stuck in Space: The Timeline
- May: The Starliner launch is delayed due to a valve problem in the rocket, then a helium leak.
- June 5: The Starliner takes off with Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
- June 6: Starliner docks with the ISS despite three helium leaks and the failure of certain thrusters.
- September 6: Starliner leaves the ISS and lands in New Mexico, leaving Williams and Wilmore behind.
- September 28: Launch of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission with Nick Hague (Nasa) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos) aboard a Dragon spacecraft. Two spots are left vacant to bring back Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
- September 29: The Crew Dragon docks with the ISS.
- February 2025: The Crew Dragon will return to Earth with Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
