New update on stranded NASA astronauts after one revealed concerning effects being stuck in space has had on her body
NASA has issued a potentially major update regarding the future of stranded astronauts Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams.
Last June, both Butch and Suni embarked on what was supposed to be a fairly lowkey, eight day trip to space on the maiden voyage of the new Boeing Starliner capsule.
However technical issues mean the pair are currently very famous for being stuck in space.
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Now, you may think that an extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS) would be a pretty fun adventure for a pair of experienced astronauts - and you'd be right.
But there are also downsides to spending nearly eight months up in the stars, some of which can have adverse effects on your health.
In a new update on the astronauts' plight to return home, NASA are reportedly looking at bringing forward the rescue mission - which could see both Butch and Suni back on Earth earlier than previously anticipated.
According to a report shared by Ars Technica, the space agency will be replacing the spaceship used to bring them home.
The pair are currently sharing the ISS with astronauts from the Crew-9 mission, with a rotation ship bringing the Crew-10 staff doubling up as a rescue for both Butch and Suni.
The ship was originally set to launch in late February, however ongoing technical issues with the spacecraft (Space X's C213 Dragon) meant the group wouldn't be back on Earth until 'early April'.
It's believed the issue with the C213 Dragon vehicle is battery related, with both NASA and SpaceX working together to resolve it.
In the meantime, the space agency will reportedly reuse SpaceX's Endurance ship to swap out the crew at the ISS, allowing Butch and Suni to return to Earth on 19 March - bringing their total time in space to 286 days.
The move follows rising political tensions about the status of the pair's rescue, with newly-elected President Donald Trump and Elon Musk publicly discussing the upcoming rescue on social media.
Meanwhile, there has been growing concerns about the health of the two stranded astronauts, after Suni revealed that she is forgetting how to walk.
"I’ve been up here long enough right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk," she said while answering questions about life in space from students at her old high school (via CBS).
She continued: "I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down. You don’t have to. You can just close your eyes and float where you are right here."
Fingers crossed that a 19 March return date can be pencilled in for the pair.
Brenna Cooper