Major health update on astronauts who were stranded in space for nine months
A pair of NASA astronauts who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) last year have completed a gruelling 45-day rehab course to readapt to Earth's atmosphere.
Butch Wilmore, 62, and Sunita Williams, 59, lost significants amoutn of muscle mass and bone density after spending nine months on the ISS.
This left them suffering extreme fatigue, with Ms Williams struggling to get out of bed for weeks after their return in March.
Mr Wilmore, who suffered neck and back issues before the flight, said he immediately started suffering problems after landing back on Earth.
'We're still floating in the capsule in the ocean, and my neck starts hurting, while we still hadn't even been extracted yet,' he told the Reuters news agency.
Ms Williams added: 'Gravity stinks for a period, and that period varies for different people, but eventually you get over those neurovestibular balance type of issues.
'It's been a little bit of a whirlwind. Because we also have obligations to all of the folks that we worked with.'
The pair spent at least two hours a day working with NASA's strength and reconditioning experts on top of their regular workload.
They set off last June for what was supposed to be an eight-day test flight for the Boeing Starliner transport craft.
It turned into a nine-month stay on the ISS after their space capsule suffered technical issues and had to return to Earth crewless.
The pair did not comment on the ins and outs of their problems, but previous comments by astronauts shed some insight onto what they may have experienced.
'After six months to a year, you gradually lose the thick, calloused skin on your feet,' retired Nasa astronaut, Leroy Chiao, told NewsNation Prime in March.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Once the harder skin peels off, the feet are usually left soft and tender he said, adding: 'You kind of have baby feet when you come back.'
Until the feet build up hard skin again, which can take from weeks to months, walking can be uncomfortable and even agonising.
Another Nasa veteran, Terry Virtz, said he felt 'really dizzy' on landing and struggled with his sense of balance for some time.
An astronaut's heart can shrink slightly because the body needs to make less effort to pump blood around. More Trending
Their vision can be affected due to fluid shifting around differently and putting pressure on the optic nerve.
Psychological effects such as anxiety and depression can also persist.
Mr Wilmore said he backed calls for Nasa to fly the Starliner crewless again before its next manned flight.
Nasa officials said results from testing planned over the summer will determine the decision.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Six asteroids 'dangerous to Earth' discovered – but could they really hit us?
MORE: Twist in search for mysterious 'Planet Nine' in the dark depths of our solar system
MORE: The Milky Way will be most visible until this date in the US – here's how to see it
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Strauss's Blue Danube beamed into space as Vienna celebrates with concert
Strauss's Blue Danube waltz has finally made it into space, nearly half a century after missing a ride on Nasa's twin Voyager spacecraft. The European Space Agency's big radio antenna in Spain beamed the waltz into the cosmos on Saturday. Operators aimed the dish at Voyager 1, the world's most distant spacecraft, more than 15 billion miles away. Travelling at the speed of light, the music was expected to overtake Voyager 1 within 23 hours. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra performed the Blue Danube during the space transmission, which actually sent up a version from rehearsal. It is part of a year-long celebration marking the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss, who was born in Vienna in 1825. The Strauss space send-off also marks the 50th anniversary of ESA's founding. Launched in 1977 and now in interstellar space, each of the two Voyagers carries a Golden Record full of music but nothing from Strauss.
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world It's not perfect but the images it produces in double-quick time are tremendous Bode's Galaxy taken by the Odyssey There's never been a better time to get into astro photography for the enthusiastic amateur thanks to a new generation of smart telescopes that do away with all the painstacking preparation and assumed knowledge that can be a barrier for newbies. One of these hi-tech scopes is the Unistellar Odyssey, which, while not cheap, couldn't make taking amazing images of celestial objects any easier, even from light-polluted urban areas. The Odyssey is a fully automated smart digital reflector telescope equipped with an 85mm aperture and uses Unistellar's proprietary technologies for enhanced viewing. It's not too bulky or heavy so can be used on the go, although you don't get a case included which, considering the price, I thought was a shame. You do get a stand which is absolute top quality, though, even if the way it holds the telescope itself is rather lo-fi and made me slightly nervous. Indeed, a few times after a viewing session I found the scope had come loose and wobbly on top of the stand. Usability couldn't be simpler. Once paired with a phone or tablet through the app, you are away. Simply choose the object (be that galaxy, planet, nebula or star cluster) you want to take an image of and the telescope does the rest. And it's here where the Odyssey shines. I've tried a few smart telescopes over the years but the picture quality blew me away as it came through on my tablet. Not only do they look great, the snapshots only take a few minutes to come through. What would take over an hour using a cheaper telescope as image after image are stacked on top of each other to get a nice picture, the Odyssey delivers better in a fraction of the time. Unistellar Odyssey It's all the more impressive as light pollution is a problem where I live. Indeed, it'll be hard to go back to my other scopes once I return it! As an extra slice of fun, you can also choose to participate in collaborative and citizen science missions with institutions such as NASA and SETI Institute . There is a minus to the fully automatic system for the more experienced astro photographer, which may limit appeal for users who prefer manual adjustments and customisation. However, for a beginner it's tremendous and you'll be sharing images with your friends and family, taking the plaudits for your skill! Unistellar Odyssey I did have a few niggles The telescope uses its own wifi to connect and you can't set it up, say, through your home network. This meant on my tablet I could not be connected to the Odyssey and the internet at the same time. Also, there is no way (as yet) of rebooting the device via the app. A few times when it did crash I had to go outside and switch it off and on again. Sometimes if took a very long time to find the object I wanted to take an image of (although this might be down to the aforementioned light pollution) while the battery life wasn't super great. Charging is only through the wall rather than a charging brick. Another quibble is that you do not get a solar filter included. That will set you back another £200, So the Osyssey is not perfect but for any budding astronomer I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. Sure, the Odyssey is pricey but in this case you get what you pay for. The (dark) sky's the limit! The Odyssey Smart Telescope is available for 15% off ahead of Father's Day (£1,699) via the Unistella website. What users say "Odyssey is an excellent telescope. It packs amazing technologies, bigger aperture in a portable format. It does very well in many different situations including my apartment balcony. It is the telescope that got me interested back in amateur astronomy." "Ease of use is exemplary. Just plug and play. This telescope does allow deep space as well as plant viewing. I purchased without the eyepiece and have had no need for the added feature. I would recommend saving the added cost." Alternatives Article continues below Celestron 11068 NexStar 6SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Digital Telescope
North Wales Live
7 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world
There's never been a better time to get into astro photography for the enthusiastic amateur thanks to a new generation of smart telescopes that do away with all the painstacking preparation and assumed knowledge that can be a barrier for newbies. One of these hi-tech scopes is the Unistellar Odyssey, which, while not cheap, couldn't make taking amazing images of celestial objects any easier, even from light-polluted urban areas. The Odyssey is a fully automated smart digital reflector telescope equipped with an 85mm aperture and uses Unistellar's proprietary technologies for enhanced viewing. It's not too bulky or heavy so can be used on the go, although you don't get a case included which, considering the price, I thought was a shame. You do get a stand which is absolute top quality, though, even if the way it holds the telescope itself is rather lo-fi and made me slightly nervous. Indeed, a few times after a viewing session I found the scope had come loose and wobbly on top of the stand. Usability couldn't be simpler. Once paired with a phone or tablet through the app, you are away. Simply choose the object (be that galaxy, planet, nebula or star cluster) you want to take an image of and the telescope does the rest. And it's here where the Odyssey shines. I've tried a few smart telescopes over the years but the picture quality blew me away as it came through on my tablet. Not only do they look great, the snapshots only take a few minutes to come through. What would take over an hour using a cheaper telescope as image after image are stacked on top of each other to get a nice picture, the Odyssey delivers better in a fraction of the time. It's all the more impressive as light pollution is a problem where I live. Indeed, it'll be hard to go back to my other scopes once I return it! As an extra slice of fun, you can also choose to participate in collaborative and citizen science missions with institutions such as NASA and SETI Institute. There is a minus to the fully automatic system for the more experienced astro photographer, which may limit appeal for users who prefer manual adjustments and customisation. However, for a beginner it's tremendous and you'll be sharing images with your friends and family, taking the plaudits for your skill! I did have a few niggles The telescope uses its own wifi to connect and you can't set it up, say, through your home network. This meant on my tablet I could not be connected to the Odyssey and the internet at the same time. Also, there is no way (as yet) of rebooting the device via the app. A few times when it did crash I had to go outside and switch it off and on again. Sometimes if took a very long time to find the object I wanted to take an image of (although this might be down to the aforementioned light pollution) while the battery life wasn't super great. Charging is only through the wall rather than a charging brick. Another quibble is that you do not get a solar filter included. That will set you back another £200, So the Osyssey is not perfect but for any budding astronomer I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. Sure, the Odyssey is pricey but in this case you get what you pay for. The (dark) sky's the limit! The Odyssey Smart Telescope is available for 15% off ahead of Father's Day (£1,699) via the Unistella website. What users say "Odyssey is an excellent telescope. It packs amazing technologies, bigger aperture in a portable format. It does very well in many different situations including my apartment balcony. It is the telescope that got me interested back in amateur astronomy." "Ease of use is exemplary. Just plug and play. This telescope does allow deep space as well as plant viewing. I purchased without the eyepiece and have had no need for the added feature. I would recommend saving the added cost."
