Imagine leaving for a week-long trip through space and getting lost for months. Here is the hard truth that Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are living. Their eight-day trip turned into a longer stay at the International Space Station (ISS), which made many people worry about their health.
Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft took Williams and Wilmore into orbit on June 5, 2024. Both Williams and Wilmore were former Navy captains. But their trip took a turn they didn’t expect because of problems with the engines and helium leaks. The two scientists made it to the ISS in the end and have been living and working there for months.
The date of their return trip has been pushed back to February 2025. They will be traveling on the SpaceX Dragon rocket. Because NASA thought the Starliner was too dangerous to take back to Earth, Williams and Wilmore had to get used to their longer stay in space.
The two men have been through a lot, but they have shown amazing strength. Wilmore (61 years old) and Williams (59 years old) have been helping with different kinds of science projects, station upkeep, and even fixing a toilet that wasn’t working right. Wilmore’s positive outlook has been encouraging. He said, “We’re just on a different path.”
When asked about her love of being in space, Williams, who became commander of the ISS in September 2024, said, “I enjoy every aspect of being up here.” But new pictures and videos of her have made people worry about her health. Many people have noticed that she seems to have lost weight and that her cheeks are sunken in.
The public’s worries have been stoked by rumors about how the astronauts are living. Some people are furious and say that Williams and Wilmore are being “left to rot” in space. At the same time, NASA has told the public that the astronauts are healthy and getting regular checkups.
Williams said that her look was caused by a “fluid shift” in space, where there is no weight. She said that her weight has stayed the same since she started to work out, and she has been following a special exercise plan to stay healthy.
NASA stressed that the pilots have their favorite foods and enough supplies to last them for the long stay. People are still worried about Williams and Wilmore, but NASA’s assurances that they are safe have made people feel better.
What these two astronauts went through is a good lesson of how hard and uncertain space travel can be. While we wait for them to come back safely, we can only admire how brave and strong they are.
