Health Concerns Escalate as Photos of Stranded Boeing Astronauts Surface

Health concerns started to grow after new photos of two NASA astronauts stranded in space were released

In the picture, the two Americans can be seen eating dinner that consisted of uncooked pizza and various other condiments. And although the 59-year-old was smiling at the camera, doctors didn’t hesitate to point out her hollow cheeks.

Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and veteran in Seattle, told the Daily Mail, “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.”

Gupta went on to say her appearance was most likely a result 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,” she added.

Astronauts burn approximately 3,500 calories per day, which is double that of an average person on land. This is due to the extra energy required by space’s harsher conditions and lower temperatures.

The doctor further shared that a main health concern in this case was muscle atrophy.

“They’re intaking very high-calorie foods, as you can tell — cold cuts, and, you know, other meats, the proteins, but high-fat cold cuts — it’s not necessarily a balanced diet,” Gupta said.

William’s metabolism is probably “[through] the roof,” according to the expert in an effort to “keep warm” in the new and unfamiliar environment.

“Her body’s probably working harder to do basic things because the partial pressure of oxygen is lower than it would be on sea level,” she added.

Thoughts and prayers have been sent to the two astronauts stranded hundreds of miles away

Some comments labeled NASA as responsible for the pair’s situation while others expressed sympathy.

“She was mentally or physically prepared for long term stay in space,” said someone. “She looks depressed, being stuck in a pressurized tube, imagine the claustrophobia!”

Another wrote, “About time NASA got their act together and restarted the Space Programme with Space Crafts that are as safe as they can be. Not expensive faulty tin cans from Boeing!!”

“oh my goodness.. she has changed sooo much from just the video of a few months ago,” read a third comment. “i pray they will get back safely, SOON!” 

NASA and Boeing’s crew are working tirelessly to bring Williams and Wilmore back home

As read in BBC, when the two astronauts took off on June 8, their spacecraft encountered problems on its journey to the ISS such as helium leaks, which pushed fuel into the propulsion system. The result was a breakdown in the thrusters.

Engineers have spent months trying to figure out where the Starliner craft went wrong to no avail, testing experiments both on Earth and in space.

“Space flight is a risk, even at its safest and even at its most routine, and a test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine,” said NASA administrator Bill Nelson.

The pair is scheduled to stay on the ISS until February 2025 when they can return home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Due to the differences between the bodies of women and men, being in space affects each gender separately

In a study led by NASA, disparages between men and women were vast when looking at the number of physiological differences while in space.

Orthostatic Intolerance is the inability to stand without fainting for extended periods. This was more prevalent in females than their male counterparts. 

A possible explanation for this phenomenon narrows to leg vascular compliance, which is the capability of the veins in the legs to expand and hold more blood as pressure increases. Women typically face a greater decline in this area

The study similarly highlighted that women encounter a larger risk of losing blood plasma volume during spaceflight, and the stress response increases their heart rate, while men see an uptick in vascular resistance. 

the astronaut tried to dispel the worries while speaking with the New England Sports Network Clubhouse Kids Show Tuesday, saying she was healthy.

“Folks in space, you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body,” she explained.

“I think things shift around quite a bit, you probably heard of a fluid shift,” she added, referencing the phenomenon that occurs to astronauts in space. 

It was meant to be an eight-day mission, but it has been anything but.

As the Boeing Starliner Calypso, which the astronauts were on, approached the International Space Station (ISS), the capsule’s thrusters malfunctioned.

That was five months ago, and the pair have remained on the ISS ever since. Williams and Wilmore are expected to hitch a ride back on the SpaceX Crew-9 in February 2025.

The astronauts seem to be in good spirits, but recent images of them onboard the ISS sparked concern for Williams' health.

After seeing snaps where the Ohio native and Wilmore tucked into pizza and packets of grilled peppers, pulmonologist Dr Vinay Gupta claimed she was likely experiencing a ‘significant’ calorie deficit, but her life isn’t in any immediate danger.

"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," he told the Daily Mail.

Williams has since spoken out about the speculation surrounding her health, claiming that she's actually put on muscle.

Speaking to New England Sports Network yesterday (November 12), she said: "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."

Williams went on to say she is the same weight now as when she was launched into space earlier this year.

"There’s a lot of changes that go on up here," she added.

"But it’s funny, I think there’s some rumors around out there that I’m losing weight and stuff."

All meat and eggs are cooked on earth and only have to be reheated in space. Meanwhile, dehydrated soups, stews and casseroles need water that comes from the space station’s 530-gallon fresh water tank.

All meat and eggs are cooked on earth and only have to be reheated in space. Meanwhile, dehydrated soups, stews and casseroles need water that comes from the space station’s 530-gallon fresh water tank.

The ISS even recycles the astronauts’ urine and sweat into fresh water, ensuring very little waste. 

Williams and Wilmore prepare their own food and eat it on magnetized trays with metal utensils. 

The specialist insisted the astronauts are well-cared for and there shouldn’t be any concern for their health. 

“Nothing is left to chance and that includes their food,” the specialist explained. 

“So to be accurate, it should be very clear that any weight loss is not due to a lack of provisions on the ISS. There is plenty of food, even for an extended mission.”

The astronauts’ diets became international news after NASA released photos that showed Williams with sunken cheeks and a noticeably thinner frame.

Williams downplayed the concerns about her visible weight loss as “rumors,” and said her difference in appearance was the result of fluid shifting in her body due to the weightlessness of space.

“There’s some rumors around out there that I’m losing weight and stuff,” Williams said in a video interview. “No, I’m actually right at the same amount.”

“All Nasa astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell told DailyMail.

He further clarified that the normal duration of a stay aboard the space station is about six months and that Nasa astronauts have remained aboard the space station for even longer duration missions. “Both crew members also have previously completed two long-duration stays aboard the station.  The space station is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing, and oxygen,” he has further stated.