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Suni Williams and other astronauts on the ISS ‘in good health,’ NASA says

Suni Williams and other astronauts on the ISS ‘in good health,’ NASA says


“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations and are monitored by special flight surgeons,” NASA said.

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  • The concern seemed to surface in the weeks after four returning astronauts from an extended SpaceX mission known as Crew-8 were mysteriously evaluated at a medical facility.
  • The Crew-8 astronauts spent nearly eight months on the space station, while the Starliner astronauts are ultimately looking at the prospect of more than eight months in orbit.
  • Long stays in low-gravity space can take a toll on the human body, leading to loss of body fat, muscle mass and bone density.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the International Space Station for months longer than intended, and their extended stay has raised some public concern about their physical well-being.

In a statement to USA TODAY Friday, NASA said Williams and Wilmore, who reached the station in June on the Boeing Starliner spacecraftare “in good health” – just like the other five astronauts living in orbit.

Concerns appeared to surface in the weeks after four returning astronauts from an extended SpaceX mission known as Crew-8 arrived mysteriously evaluated in a medical facility afterwards splashing down off the coast of Florida. One of the astronauts, who was not identified, was right hospitalized for one night before it was released, NASA said.

Long stays in low-gravity space can take a toll on the human body, leading to loss of body fat, muscle mass and bone density. The Crew-8 astronauts spent more than seven months on the space station, while Williams and Wilmore are ultimately looking at the prospect of more than eight months in orbit if they choose. can return in February as planned.

The orbital stays are longer than the typical six-month expeditions most embark on, but NASA ensures it prepares and supplies its astronauts. for long-term missions.

NASA: All astronauts on ISS ‘in good health’

Williams and Wilmore were not supposed to be on the International Space Station after June when they reached the orbital outpost about the inaugural flight test for the Starliner.

But when Boeing’s spacecraft encountered a slew of problems, NASA officials debated for months what to do before choosing to send the vehicle to the US. back to Earth without his crew early September. The vehicle selected to take the Starliner astronauts home a SpaceX dragonand then arrived at the end of the month with a pair of Crew-9 astronauts.

Part of what gave NASA officials confidence in the decision was the fact that both Williams and Wilmore, who have each been to orbit twice before, are experienced astronauts who were prepared for an extended stay on the space station.

By the seven people on the space station – four Americans and three Russian cosmonauts – the Starliner astronauts have now been in orbit for the longest time.

But despite public concerns about their health, NASA said all members of Expedition 72 things are going well.

“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station are undergoing routine medical evaluations, are monitored by dedicated flight surgeons, and are in good health,” NASA said in its statement to USA TODAY on Friday.

Crew-8 astronauts taken to a medical facility after return

Two weeks ago, four members of a commercial mission known as Crew-8 were finally able to return to Earth after first reaching the station in March.

But shortly after landing on October 25, the crew – NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos – arrived were all assessed at a nearby medical facility.

Although NASA said in a statement that this was only “out of an abundance of caution,” it was revealed that a crew member had a medical issue remained under observation in the hospital. The crew member, who was not named, was released “in good health” the next morning. NASA said.

What does being in space do to the body?

Although all Crew-8 astronauts were released for routine post-flight conditioning, the incident has put into perspective how taxing long-duration spaceflight can be for humans.

In addition to the physiological decline astronauts risk experiencing, they also must endure isolated and confined environments and may be exposed to higher levels of radiation compared to what we experience on Earth.

NASA uses long-duration spaceflight as an opportunity to collect data that help the agency improve the safety of manned missions, especially at a time when astronauts are preparing to head to Moon And Mars.

Astronauts stay stocked thanks to resupply missions

NASA also keeps the space station stocked with food, supplies, water, clothing and oxygen with resupply missions occurring approximately every three months.

The most recent came on Monday duringg SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply missionthat was launched to the space station, filled with nearly 6,000 pounds of supplies and scientific research. The impending arrival of the unmanned SpaceX Dragon, who left after deliveryrequired the astronauts to dock another Dragon vehicle on the station.

The relocated Dragon is the same vehicle that the Crew-9 team of Nick Haag and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov arrived on September 29, and is the same vehicle that they and the Starliner astronauts will drive home in February.

In the meantime, Den Haag and Gorbunov, along with Wilmore and Williams, will spend their stay conducting scientific experiments and performing station maintenance. Much of it will be in preparation for human exploration deep in the cosmos as NASA scrutinizes future moon missions Artemis program.

Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]