Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA announced that astronaut Sunita Williams completed a standard hearing test while aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The test is part of regular health monitoring as she and her colleague Butch Wilmore await the resolution of issues with their return spacecraft, Starliner.
Both Williams and Wilmore participated in the hearing test, which is conducted routinely to assess the effects of microgravity on astronauts’ health, particularly on their auditory functions, during extended missions in space.
Earlier in August, Williams underwent detailed scans of her cornea, retina, and lens using standard medical imaging hardware. These scans are part of ongoing efforts to monitor potential vision changes experienced by astronauts in microgravity.
Williams and Wilmore also participated in vein scans using the Ultrasound 2 device, imaging each other’s neck, shoulder, and leg veins. NASA doctors monitored the scans in real-time from Earth, ensuring the astronauts’ vascular health remains stable.
NASA has reported that astronauts are at risk of hearing loss and vision impairment during long-term missions in space. The ISS is known to be a noisy environment, and exposure to such noise, coupled with microgravity, can negatively impact astronauts’ auditory and visual health.
Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, marking the first crewed flight of the spacecraft. Their return was initially scheduled for mid-June but has been delayed due to technical issues, including thruster anomalies and helium leaks.
As the Starliner mission overlaps with Expedition 71, NASA and Boeing are exploring alternative return options, including possibly using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in 2025. A return date has not yet been set as teams continue to investigate the Starliner’s issues.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their return, Williams and Wilmore continue to work with the Expedition 71 crew, conducting various scientific studies and research aboard the ISS while ground teams analyse the Starliner’s propulsion system and overall readiness.