How are Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore rebuilding their bodies? Here's what's next for NASA astronauts after homecoming
ByTuhin Das Mahapatra
Mar 20, 2025 11:45 AM IST
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have returned from a 286-day mission in space, facing weeks of physical therapy and adjustment.
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams' 286-day space odyssey has finally come to an end, but the painful fallout from their gruelling mission will continue much longer.
After landing in the water, Butch Wilmore, Alexander Gorbunov, Nick Hague and Sunita Williams sat in the SpaceX recovery ship Megan(NASA via AP)
After landing in the water, Butch Wilmore, Alexander Gorbunov, Nick Hague and Sunita Williams sat in the SpaceX recovery ship Megan(NASA via AP)
After spending more than nine months in space, both NASA astronauts now face weeks of intense physical therapy and readjustment to life on Earth.
“Crews have previously spent longer durations in space, and Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s performance after their return is expected to be consistent with established norms,” a NASA spokesperson told New York Post. The expert further explains that the transition back to Earthly conditions will be challenging.
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59-year-old Williams and 62-year-old Wilmore will feel unfamiliar with everyday tasks such as walking, wearing clothes, and even processing scents. Their muscles have weakened due to minimal gravitational resistance, and they will need to rebuild their strength.
Notably, as soon as their SpaceX capsule splashed down off the Gulf Coast of Florida, the astronauts were flown by helicopter to NASA’s JSC Johnson Space Center in Houston. Standard NASA procedures will bring them there, where they will be thoroughly evaluated physically and reunited with their families.
NASA tackles health risks of space travel with reconditioning program
NASA has laid out a 45-day reconditioning programme for both astronauts, comprising two hours of physical therapy a day with specialized trainers.
This is the period when the astronauts will have time to regain some of the lost muscle and any physiological deficiencies resulting from their 286-day stay in the International Space Station.
Muscle atrophy is a significant concern, as their bodies have adjusted to an environment where movement requires little effort. This loss of strength was evident when the astronauts had to be assisted out of their Crew Dragon capsule and transported in wheelchairs upon landing.
Walking again will be a challenge, as both astronauts will need to overcome dizziness, balance issues, and weakened cardiovascular function. Their hearts, which have operated without the usual gravitational resistance, will require time to regain full efficiency, per Astrophysicist Alan Duffy.
Plus, bone density loss is a risk that lasts in the long term as well. In microgravity, astronauts’ bodies lose the ability to absorb calcium for the rest of their lives, unless intervened. The second issue is fluid buildup in the head, which changes the shape of the eye.
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“Months of fabric floating around your body rather than hugging it often results in an almost baby-like sensitivity of the skin,” Duffy told New York Post.
Once their recovery is well underway, former President Donald Trump has expressed interest in hosting Williams and Wilmore at the White House. “Number one, they have to get better,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
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