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It may not be shocking to learn that the NASA astronauts who were “stuck” in orbit had a somewhat different appearance after a demanding nine months in space.
After being’stranded’ on the ISS since June of last year, NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams were returned to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, onboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
After their splash landing off the Gulf Coast, close to Tallahassee, Florida, we saw the crew being hauled away on stretchers before they could even take a single foot on land, demonstrating NASA’s obvious awareness that being away from home for so long is likely to have a negative impact on their health.
In addition to actually inhaling oxygen from the air, Wilmore and Williams are experiencing gravity on their bones for the first time in nine months, which in and of itself raises a number of possible health concerns.
According to the Daily Mail, the astronauts are still dealing with health issues after returning home, with problems ranging from “chicken legs” and “baby feet” to an elevated risk of cancer.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the couple is undergoing a battery of medical examinations, but some specialists caution that there are already some warning signals that point to a potential deterioration in their health.
According to several witnesses, Wilmore and Williams looked haggard in before and after photos, perhaps having lost weight while in space.
According to specialists, strain on their eyes and optical nerves may cause a buildup of fluids in their brain, which might impair their look.
This condition is even known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), and it is the cause of the optic nerve enlargement that results in hazy or blurry vision.
NASA states that certain adverse effects may be permanent, depending on how long the crew stays in space, even though many astronauts’ eyes return to normal after landing on Earth. This is troubling for the two because of their lengthy mission.
Their cognitive abilities may deteriorate as previously shown in some astronauts due to a combination of stress, sleep deprivation, and shifting brain pressures.
The biggest danger for the couple, however, is microgravity as astronauts’ muscles deteriorate over time in the absence of Earth’s pull, making it difficult for them to maintain a healthy weight.
The two were unable to walk upon their first arrival on Earth, which is also explained by this.
They may have muscular atrophy despite their rigorous exercise regimen and high-calorie diet on board the ISS, which may possibly be a factor in their fragile look.
Then there is Spaceflight Venous Thrombosis (SVT), which is caused by literally hanging upside down and includes an upward fluid shift that may make the face seem “puffy.”
Thankfully, according to NASA, most astronauts recover to their pre-mission fitness levels in 45 days, however in extreme circumstances, recovery may take months or even a year.
“Going into space was no problem at all for me, but for the first two days on Earth, I felt pretty rough,” retired British astronaut Tim Peake said on RadioX.
“I anticipate that Butch and Suni will be experiencing some difficulties at the moment. The whole body is just adjusting to gravity, you know. The vestibular systems were a little off. You feel a little queasy and lightheaded. They will thus need a few days to recover from it.
