Astronaut Sunita Williams’ Weight Loss Challenge in Space – What NASA Might Do to Help?

As reported by The New York Post, veteran NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has been stuck in space for more than 150 days. Last Week, different media tabloids, such as The Daily Mail, raised concerns about Williams’s ‘gaunt’ appearance. Both American astronauts, Williams and Wilmore, have been stranded on the ISS since June 06.

Is her health deteriorating rapidly in space? Has she lost weight to a terrible level? Is she feeling the ill effects of an extended stay in space? All these headlines hit the news every day. According to Space.com, in her newly released video on 12 November, Sunita asked people not to believe the tabloids as she is just doing fine on her extended stay in the ISS.

“I think my body has changed a little bit, but I weigh the same.”

The enigma of Sunita’s weight loss is pretty concerning and serious at this hour. Let’s know how the experts of The Academic Papers UK have analysed the whole situation.

Why Did NASA Select Sunita Williams in June 1998?

Sunita Williams was selected as an astronaut in June 1998 because she had extensive flight hours and military experience. According to NASA, she reported for training in August 1998.

After she was selected, she went through astronaut training, which included briefings about the orientation and technicalities of the International Space Station systems. Sunita also spent quite a lot of time in Moscow and worked with the Russian Space Agency on the IS station.

Here is a breakdown of all the reasons NASA chose her:

●      Flight Hours

In more than 30 different aircraft types, Sunita has spent more than 3000 flight hours. Apart from that, she has also served as an aircraft handler and an assistant air boss on the USS Saipan.

●      Military Experience

Sunita Williams is a naval aviator who got her commission from the US Naval Academy in 1987. She has also worked as an instructor at the Naval Test Pilot School, where she used to fly the OH-6, OH-58, and UH-60.

●      Other Achievements

Sunita is an amazing woman with many achievements. In addition to her military experience and flight hours, she earned an MS degree in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1995. She also passed her dissertation with distinction.

She is a veteran of two successful space missions and currently works as a pilot on the crew flight tests mission held by Boeing’s Starliner aircraft.

How Many Hours Did Sunita Williams Spend in Space?

According to NASA, she spent 322 days in space over the course of two missions. After her first flight, she worked as the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. After that, she supported a long mission for Expedition 32 as a flight engineer. Moving on, she went for Expedition 33 from the International Space Station Commander.

Sunita is actually second in the record book for cumulative spacewalk time covered by a female astronaut. Her total time is 50 hours and 40 minutes.

What Happened with Sunita Williams in Space?

Currently, NASA is strictly addressing the serious health concerns after Sunita seemed to experience significant weight loss during her stay at the ISS. She was all set to go on an 8-day mission but due to some technical malfunction with the spacecraft, she was still stranded in space.

The NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, now 59, has become the subject of serious concerns after showing signs of severe weight loss. In the recently released photos, she looked notably thinner. The NASA doctors are now focussing to stabilise the weight she has lost and reverse the effects.

In the following photo, the two astronauts can be seen in a space cabin, conversing with each other with different eatables in sight. Williams’s cheeks look so sunken, and overall, her frame is thinner. She looks quite changed and different than before. This happened after the spaceship was deemed unfit to return to Earth, and the plan to return to Earth was delayed.

Image Source: The New York Post

The journey of the NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on the aircraft Starliner is no less than a sci-fi thriller movie. Sunita and Wilmore are the first persons to travel on this spaceship. The launch of the spaceship was initially delayed by a month, and now, its return to Earth is being delayed by months.

So, the two seasoned pilots have been stuck in space since the beginning of June. The capsule’s thrusters didn’t work as expected, and there were several helium leaks. The engineers took the tests and debated what they could do to make the trip back.

Why is Starliner Mission Important?

The flight test of the crew at Boeing aims to check the ability of Starliner to execute a 6-month rotational mission around the space station. The main aims of this flight test were developed to help NASA’s certification process and collect the information needed for the evaluation of data. NASA wanted two American spacecraft that could be used to carry the astronauts around the orbiting complex.

Boeing did not participate in the news conference that NASA held, but it released a statement. Here are the words quoted by The New York Times:

“Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft. We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return.”

What NASA Might Do Regarding NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams’s Health?

NASA has promptly dismissed the claims regarding Sunita Williams’ bad health. The stranded astronaut herself has refuted the rumours going on about her bad health. She had become the centre of all the horrible fears about her health. The photos released earlier this month made her appear gaunt as she has spent more than 150 days in the ISS.

In the video released on 12 November, she said that her weight may have looked different due to the fluid shift in space. She might be in a significant calorie deficit, which is why the visible changes happened in her body and overall weight. Sunita insisted that the fluid shift was caused by microgravity. She also praised her excellent exercise routine for keeping her fit.

“Folks in space, you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body.”

In the space, the weightlessness affects everything. The blood and fluids from the lower side of the body are instantly shifted towards the upper side of the body. Sometimes, it results in an overall puffy face and really thin legs. NASA’s spokesperson Jimi Russell has remarked that:

“All NASA astronauts aboard the ISS undergo routine medical evaluations and are monitored by flight surgeons. All are in good health.”

Although the spaceship has malfunctioned and the 8-day long stay has turned so long, the rescue mission will be sent. NASA has been investigating the effects of microgravity on the functions of the human body, especially the fluid shift that is normal to happen in space.

Here is what a NASA employee said about the whole situation, according to the New York Post:

“Everything is unexpected. None of this was anticipated. They were supposed to be there for a week, and now it’s going on for six months. They should be home by now, and we should focus on other things. It’s all very unpredictable.”

Due to the malfunction in Starliner, NASA decided to return it without a crew. Both William and Wilmore are expected to return to Earth in February 2025. The return will be accompanied by Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA’s Nick Hague.

Overall, NASA has been warning employees not to leak sensitive information about astronauts’ health. Information leaks can be considered serious grounds for firing individuals.

Conclusion

Since NASA has quickly refuted the claims and now Williams herself has given the same message, the rumours of her bad health have been cleared up. She does not look gaunt after spending 152 days in space now.

Although her cheeks may appear a bit sunken, her overall health is the same. There are some things that human bodies cannot adjust to. Her changed appearance may be a natural result of living at a higher altitude for an extended period.

The topic of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’s health has piqued the interest of various space studies programs. If you’re considering writing an in-depth assignment on Williams’s career, it’s a worthwhile endeavour. To ensure your paper is comprehensive and well-researched, you can turn to recommended assignment writing companies. Their expert writers are equipped to craft high-quality, insightful papers that cover every aspect of her journey in space and beyond.

By Chris Bates