Featured Image Credit: NASA
Topics: NASA, Technology, News
Gerrard Kaonga
After concerns were raised regarding the health of two astronauts stranded in space until 2025, a NASA insider has offered a worrying update.
Being stranded in space doesn’t sound ideal. In fact, it sounds like the start of a sci-fi horror film.
But NASA’s two astronauts Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams, 59, and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, 61 have been real good sports about the whole ideal.
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They were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5 for what was supposed to be an eight-day round trip to the ISS... a trip that has extended way beyond that at this point.
The pair are expected to hitch a ride with the SpaceX Crew-9 in February 2025.
After an investigation by the space agency, it was ruled it would be too dangerous to bring the two back onboard the Starliner as planned after it malfunctioned on the journey to the ISS,
As you can imagine, people have been fascinated and concerned about the whole ordeal, seeking updates on how the pair have been doing, living among the stars.
Recent images of the pair began circulating last week that showed the pair tucking into pizza.
Due to the thin appearance of Williams, people began to speculate whether she was losing too much weight.
Speaking to the New York Post, an insider said today (November 13) that NASA is monitoring Williams and Willmore in relation to their overall health and weight loss at this point.
Speaking about Willmore, the insider said: “He had a lot more mass at the start.
“So it’s not as big of a deal. But it’s happening, and it’s being monitored. Any changes in the astronauts’ bodies are being noted. And his mass seems to have gone down."
The NASA employee explained that this situation wasn’t anticipated and that the space agency is adapting and planning ahead to address any potential issues.
They added: “Everything is unexpected.
“None of this was anticipated. They were supposed to be there for a week, and now it’s going on six months. They should be home by now and we should be focused on other things. It’s all very unpredictable.”
In a livestream, Williams did downplay the concerns and said her difference in appearance was the result of fluid shifting in her body due to the weightlessness.
“Folks in space, you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body,” she said during a livestream.
In a statement to LADbible Group, NASA said: "All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health."
UNILAD has contacted NASA for further comment.