Dr. JD Polk, NASA medical director, affirmed that the two astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are in “excellent health” and not as speculated by the media.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Image: NASA/Robert Markowitz
Space quoted NASA’s medical director on November 14 explaining that some articles said that astronaut Suni Williams looked “haggard” in recent photos and that Wilmore had “lost weight”. However, Dr. Polk confirmed that both astronauts’ weights have not changed. The change in body shape is due to fluid shifts and their intense daily exercise regimen in zero gravity.
Williams herself also confirmed in a video interview on November 12 that her weight has not changed. She said that regularly lifting weights has changed her figure, but does not affect her health.
NASA has many measures to monitor the health of astronauts on the ISS, including nutrition, exercise and weekly medical checks. Astronauts can also contact their personal doctor via “IP phone” at any time if needed.
“In the 65-year history of manned spaceflight, we have never had to bring anyone back for medical reasons,” Dr. Polk said.
Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June on the first manned test flight. Initially, they planned to work on the ISS station for about 8 days because this was only a test mission. But due to a propulsion problem and helium leak on Boeing’s Starliner, they had to stay. The Starliner returned to Earth without people on board on September 6.
It is expected that Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon ship in February 2025 with two astronauts from the Crew-9 mission, arriving at the ISS in September. NASA affirms that the ISS has enough supplies for everyone. both astronauts until the expected return date.
Currently on the ISS are NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nick Hague, along with Russian astronauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner.