Stranded Astronaut’s Health In Jeopardy

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, 59, appears visibly gaunt and frail in recent photos from the International Space Station (ISS), raising concerns about her health as she and fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore, 61, remain stranded on board. The two have been on the ISS for five months—far longer than intended—after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was deemed too unsafe for their return to Earth.

A striking image of Williams from September 24, showing a noticeably thinner frame and sunken cheeks, has intensified public concern. While NASA officials have stated that Williams is in “good health” and undergoing “routine medical evaluations,” reports suggest that the agency is urgently working behind the scenes to stabilize her weight, according to The New York Post.

NASA doctors are frantically trying to help stranded astronaut Sunita Williams pack on the pounds after she has suffered a “significant” weight loss since arriving at the International Space Station in June.

Newly released photos show Williams, 59, appearing jarringly gaunt, with sunken cheeks and a noticeably thinner frame.

“She has lost a lot of weight,” said a NASA employee who is directly involved in the mission and has attended multiple briefings.

“The pounds have melted off her and she’s now skin and bones. So it’s a priority to help her stabilize the weight loss and hopefully reverse it.”

A source close to the mission told The Daily Mail that Williams has struggled to keep up with the high-calorie intake required for long-term spaceflight. The microgravity environment of the ISS leads to rapid calorie expenditure due to the body’s constant effort to adapt, along with increased energy demands from maintaining body heat in the station’s cold environment. A NASA employee said Williams’ weight has dropped significantly and added that NASA medical personnel are now advising her to consume up to 5,000 calories per day. For comparison, a typical adult woman on Earth requires between 1,600 and 2,400 calories daily.

Originally, Williams and Wilmore’s mission was scheduled to last only 10 days, with a June 5 launch on Boeing’s Starliner. However, due to an unexpected series of technical failures, the Starliner was declared unfit for their return. As a result, the astronauts have been stranded for 156 days.

Despite constantly attacking him, the Biden administration has tasked Elon Musk and SpaceX to help save the astronauts. They are now set to return to Earth on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule in February 2025, accompanied by the Crew-9 astronauts.

[Read More: Texans Looking To Secede For Some Reason]