Imagine being sent on an eight-day work trip, only to have it stretch into several months.
That’s exactly what happened to NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, except their workplace is space.
Why are the astronauts stranded?
On June 5, 2024, Williams and Wilmore launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
This historic mission marked Starliner’s first crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) and was originally planned to last just eight days.
However, unexpected technical issues with the Starliner made it unsafe for Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth as scheduled.
As a result, the pair have been stranded aboard the ISS, waiting for a safe way home.
How will the stranded astronauts return to Earth?
Elon Musk’s SpaceX will be responsible for bringing the stranded astronauts back to Earth.
After multiple delays, it has now been confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will finally begin their journey home from the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule on March 12.
This new return date is two weeks earlier than initial projections, according to USA Today.
How prolonged time in space affects the human body
The Baylor College of Medicine outlines several ways extended stays in space can impact astronauts’ health.
Spending extended time in space can have significant effects on the human body. Astronauts experience a loss of bone density, decreased muscle mass, reduced blood volume, and lower aerobic capacity. Their ability to regulate blood pressure, known as orthostatic tolerance, also declines, making readjustment to Earth’s gravity challenging.
Another major concern is space radiation. Prolonged exposure can lead to radiation sickness, impact the central nervous system, and contribute to degenerative diseases. Additionally, astronauts face an increased lifetime risk of developing cancer due to this exposure.
The Effects of Space Travel Upon Returning to Earth
A study involving identical twin astronauts, Scott and Mark Kelly, provided insight into the long-term effects of space travel. While Scott spent nearly a year in space, Mark remained on Earth, allowing scientists to analyze the differences between them.
Upon his return, Scott experienced heightened skin sensitivity and a rash for about six days, BBC News reported symptoms that Williams and Wilmore may also encounter. Additionally, the study found that Scott’s DNA was altered by his extended stay in space, indicating that long-term space missions could have lasting genetic and physiological effects.
Scott’s telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that help prevent DNA damage, underwent significant changes during his time in space. Researchers found that they became noticeably longer while he was in orbit, only to shorten rapidly upon his return to Earth.
Shortened telomeres are linked to accelerated aging and an increased risk of developing various diseases. This suggests that prolonged space travel could have complex and potentially lasting effects on astronauts’ health, raising concerns about long-duration missions, such as those to Mars.
Telomeres naturally shorten as a person ages, but space travel appears to accelerate this process. According to Susan Bailey, a professor of environmental and radiological health at Colorado State University, astronauts tend to have significantly more short telomeres after returning from space than they did before their mission.
Bailey, who was part of the study on the Kelly twins, highlighted how these findings raise concerns about the long-term health effects of extended space travel, including potential risks of premature aging and disease development.
