NASA is cautiously monitoring astronaut Sunita Williams’ health. She has lost significant weight during her extended stay aboard the International Space Station with colleague astronaut Buth Wilmore.
Recent photographs have shown her in a thin state, prompting concerns about the physical toll of prolonged space travel. Originally slated for an eight-day trip, technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spaceship have stretched Williams’ stay to more than 150 days.
Sunita Williams, who has frequently regarded space as her second home and expressed no reservations about the extended stay following the Boeing Starliner’s solo return, is now displaying symptoms of significant weight loss.
NASA officials, who are closely connected with the mission, have expressed concern over her condition, describing her as having “lost a lot of weight” with sunken cheeks.
According to a NASA staffer familiar with the situation, she has become skin and bones. “It’s a priority now to stabilise her weight and hopefully reverse this drastic change,” they said, according to the Washington Post.
Williams began her space voyage weighing approximately 140 pounds. However, as the journey progressed, she struggled to satisfy the high-calorie requirements for maintaining her weight.
“They have to eat between 3,500 and 4,000 calories per day just to maintain their current weight,” the staffer told the site. “And when you start falling behind, your weight drops fast.”
The worker explained how the situation worsens because astronauts must work out more than two hours daily to keep their muscles and bones strong in space, which burns more calories.
NASA physicians began addressing Williams’ weight loss a month before viral photographs sparked concerns.
Studies have shown that female astronauts lose muscle mass faster than male astronauts due to metabolic changes during space travel.
Following early concerns raised by a doctor, who stated that Williams appeared to be experiencing “the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurised cabin for extended periods,” a NASA representative reassured.
The representative noted, “All NASA astronauts on the International Space Station receive routine medical examinations. “They have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them and are in good health.
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