Doctor speaks out on shocking health issues stranded astronauts face as they return to Earth today

Doctors have warned that contrary what you may think, simply staying in space for so long can have negative impacts on your body.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are expected to return to Earth today (March 18) after being on the International Space Station for quite some time.

The pair were initially only meant to be up there for eight days before this trip had to be extended due to technical issues. This extended stay ended up going on for 9 months and the pair are finally meant to touch down on this lovely blue planet we call Earth.

They were launched into space on June 5, 2024, meaning they've not felt earth under their feet for 285 days - 286 days when they finally make it back.

While the pair are likely excited to be back home, experts have warned that there a slew of health issues the pair must consider as being in space for so long can have a debilitating impact on the body.

As well as this, the pair's mental health will also need to be assessed when they reintegrate into society and work.

The pair were meant to be on an eight-day trip but it turned into over nine months in space (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Health experts have said that both Butch and Suni will need to rehab their bodies when they return to Earth.

Speaking to the Mail Online, pulmonologist and Air Force veteran Vinay Gupta said this rehab program for the pair could be up to six weeks to regain their strength.

As well as regaining strength, the pair will have to have a good exercise regime and nutritional plan. The first steps are expected to focus on walking, flexibility and muscle strengthening.

However, Dr Gupta warned that the pair will have to worry about another serious health issue due to their time in space, cancer.

Dr Gupta said: “If I was their physician, I would think about a more proactive strategy for cancer screening.

“We want to take a different approach here, given that they had such a unique exposure history.”

The pair will have to be mindful of a whole host of health issues when they return(NASA)

This is due to the radiation the pair would have absorbed while in space. On Earth we are protected from radiation in space due to the atmosphere.

Baylor College of Medicine has also warned: "They can experience radiation sickness, central nervous system effects, degenerative diseases, and most notably, an increased lifetime risk of cancer."

For comparison, while on the International Space Station, astronauts are exposed to the equivalent a years’ level of radiation in just one week.