Two astronauts who have been stranded in space for over nine months will face a gruelling rehabilitation programme when they finally return to Earth, a doctor has revealed.
Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams blasted up to space on June 5, 2024, in a mission that was supposed to last just eight days.
However, technical issues with the ship have extended their stay well into 2025, with the duo memorably spending Christmas Day in space. Whether they were able to catch Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl up there is currently unclear, but I'm sure it's on their watchlist.
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Nine months on, and the duo are finally able to contemplate a reunion with their families and friends, with the Space X vessel currently scheduled for a return on either March 19 or March 20 (you have to give NASA credit for putting a date on it, given the history of the mission so far).
After nine months of floating around in space, the first thing I'd want to do is get back into my own bed, but the astronauts won't even get the chance to do that. Instead, stretchers are likely to transport them directly from the spaceship to a medical facility, where their rehabilitation programme will begin.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, said the astronauts will likely need at least six weeks of rehabilitation to regain their strength, which will include guided exercise and a nutritional plan. The first phase of the recovery process will focus on walking and muscle strengthening, as despite astronauts reportedly exercising for two hours a day in space, they are still likely to lose bone density and musculature.
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He said: "The human body needs the Earth's gravitational pull, and in an absence of that, a lot of things are not functioning correctly. The reality is, they're effectively getting a fraction of the sort of exercise that we all take for granted just by walking in [Earth's] gravity,
"Invariably, despite them doing all the right things (which I know they are) you're going to see a decrease in muscle mass and strength — no question."
Dr Gupta also raised concerns about the astronauts exposure to radiation and the risks of cancer.
He said: "If I was their physician, I would think about a more proactive strategy for cancer screening. We want to take a different approach here, given that they had such a unique exposure history."
Suni has herself spoken about how she has 'been trying to remember what it’s like to walk', while President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have also discussed the ongoing rescue plans.
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Hopefully, it's not too much longer now until we see Suni and Butch back on home turf, and their rehabilitation process goes more smoothly than the mission did.
James Moorhouse