A doctor has detailed what the NASA astronauts stranded in space will face once they have finally returned to Earth.
Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission - but it has been anything but.
As the capsule they were in approached the International Space Station (ISS), its thrusters malfunctioned, leaving them stranded.
The astronauts have managed to keep themselves busy up there with jobs and space-walks, but they'll certainly be happy to return to Earth when they emerge from a SpaceX capsule on either March 19 or 20.
Advert
When Wilmore and Williams are back on home soil they will immediately be sent off to for medical evaluations having spent the best part of nine months up in space.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, has warned the astronauts could need up to six weeks of rehabilitation until they ultimately regain their previous strength.
The first phase of their rehabilitation will reportedly focus on walking and muscle strengthening as officials worry Williams and Wilmore may have been exposed to space radiation.
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."
Meanwhile, biomedical engineer Dr. John Jaquish added: "The human body needs the Earth's gravitational pull, and in an absence of that, a lot of things are not functioning correctly."
It's important to consider space radiation because it's very different to the kinds we experience here on Earth.
Studies have found astronauts in space have increased lifetime risk for cancer, central nervous system effects, and degenerative diseases - so you can see why Williams and Wilmore are heading straight to the medical centre upon their return.
To reduce their risk, the astronauts have been working during their time on the ISS and have continued to conduct physical exercise during their time in space.
Williams admitted recently that being in space for so long has meant she's forgotten how to do basic human functions, like walking.
Speaking on a call to students at Needham High School in Massachusetts, she said: "I've been up here long enough, right now I've been trying to remember what it's like to walk. I haven't walked. I haven't sat down. I haven't laid down."
After completing the initial baby steps with phase one of their rehabilitation programme, the astronauts will work on improving the strength of their body and look into cardio reconditioning, according to the Mail.
While the third phase of the programme involves the astronauts working towards making a return to their optimal level of physical performance.
Callum Jones