Produced by: Manoj Kumar
After nine months in space, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be too weak to walk. Space travel rewires the body, and their recovery could take months.
Astronauts lose up to 20% of their muscle mass in just five days of low gravity. Even two hours of daily exercise in space can’t stop their bodies from deteriorating.
Space missions leave astronauts with weaker bones, making fractures and osteoporosis real dangers. Some never fully regain their original bone density.
Representative pic
Low gravity tricks the heart into working less, weakening blood vessels and reducing blood volume. The return to Earth can leave astronauts lightheaded and at risk of collapse.
Representative pic
Nine months in space equals years of radiation exposure on Earth. NASA warns that increased cancer risks, brain damage, and heart disease could follow Williams and Wilmore home.
Months of isolation, uncertainty, and danger take a toll. Psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman suggests the astronauts may struggle with hidden resentment and trauma after their ordeal.
Representative pic
Williams and Wilmore must relearn simple tasks—walking, balancing, and even standing—before they can rebuild their strength. Their first steps back on Earth won’t be easy.
NASA’s 45-day rehab program involves strength training, heart conditioning, and bone-loading exercises requiring force equal to 4.2 times body weight—more than a world-record squat.
Even with intense rehabilitation, some astronauts never fully recover. Their mission pushed the boundaries of human endurance—but at what long-term price?