After spending more than nine months stranded in space, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth – but their challenges won’t end once they touch down.
The pair originally launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5 for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission.
But they became stranded when the thrusters on their capsule malfunctioned as they approached the International Space Station (ISS).
While they have been keeping busy with maintenance tasks and spacewalks, Williams and Wilmore are expected to land in a SpaceX capsule on March 19 or 20 – and the moment they do, they’ll head straight into an intense rehabilitation process.
After spending so much time in microgravity, the astronauts will need extensive medical evaluations and physical rehabilitation before they can regain their full strength.
Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, told the Daily Mail that the recovery process could take up to six weeks.
Beyond the loss of muscle mass and bone density, experts are also concerned about space radiation exposure, which could increase their risk of serious health complications.
“If I was their physician, I would think about a more proactive strategy for cancer screening,” Dr. Gupta explained. “We want to take a different approach here, given that they had such a unique exposure history.”
Spending nearly a year in space takes a toll on the human body. Dr. John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer, emphasized how essential Earth’s gravitational pull is for basic bodily functions.
“The human body needs the Earth’s gravitational pull, and in an absence of that, a lot of things are not functioning correctly,” he explained.
Astronauts exposed to space radiation for long durations face higher lifetime risks of cancer, central nervous system effects, and cardiovascular diseases.
To minimize these risks, Williams and Wilmore have been staying active on the ISS, consistently exercising to maintain their strength.
However, despite their efforts, Williams recently admitted that being in space for so long has made even basic human functions feel foreign.
Speaking to students at Needham High School in Massachusetts, she said: “I’ve been up here long enough right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk. I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down. You don’t have to. You can just close your eyes and float where you are right here.”
The first phase of the rehabilitation program will involve the astronauts regaining basic movement and muscle strength after months of weightlessness.
Phase two consists of proprioceptive exercises and cardio reconditioning, and phase three is working towards returning to peak physical performance and regaining the full strength needed for daily activities.
While Williams and Wilmore will likely be relieved to be back home, their journey to full recovery is only just beginning.
