A NASA astronaut who has been unexpectedly stranded in space has recently addressed public concerns about her health following the release of new photographs.
Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams, 59, and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, 61, originally launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 with plans for an eight-day mission. However, the mission has not gone as planned.
The astronauts were aboard the Boeing Starliner Calypso, which faced issues when its thrusters malfunctioned while attempting to dock with the International Space Station (ISS).
Although there were hopes for a swift return to Earth, a NASA investigation determined that returning via the Starliner was too hazardous.
This incident occurred five months ago, and since then, Williams and Wilmore have continued their stay on the ISS. They are scheduled to return with the SpaceX Crew-9 in February 2025.
Despite maintaining a positive demeanor, recent images of the astronauts on the ISS have raised concerns about Williams’ health.
After viewing photos of the duo enjoying pizza and grilled peppers, pulmonologist Dr. Vinay Gupta suggested that Williams might be experiencing a ‘significant’ calorie deficit, though her life is not at risk.
“What you’re seeing there in that picture is somebody that I think is experiencing the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, for extended periods,” Dr. Gupta told the Daily Mail.
“Her cheeks appear a bit sunken – and usually it happens when you’ve had sort of total body weight loss. I think what I can discern by her face and her cheeks being sunken in is that [she] has probably been at a significant [calorie] deficit for a while.”
The expert continued: “But I don’t think you can look at that photo and say she has sort of healthy body weight. There’s just things that the human body cannot adjust to, and one of which is, you know, she’s probably losing more calories than she’s intaking.”
In response, NASA provided a statement to LADbible Group, indicating: “All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health.”
Williams has since addressed the rumors about her health, stating that she has actually gained muscle.
During an interview with New England Sports Network on November 12, she explained: “My thighs are a little bit bigger, my butt is a little bit bigger. We do a lot of squats.”
“I think things shift around quite a bit, you probably heard of a fluid shift.”
“Folks in space you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body.”
She further mentioned that her weight remains the same as when she first traveled to space earlier this year.
“There’s a lot of changes that go on up here,” Williams noted.
“But it’s funny, I think there’s some rumors around out there that I’m losing weight and stuff.”
Williams then confirmed: “I’m actually right at the same amount.”