
21/03/2025
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams have safely returned to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after being stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June last year. The spacecraft landed off the Gulf Coast near Tallahassee, Florida, on Tuesday (March 18).
Upon landing, the astronauts were transported on stretchers as they reacclimated to gravity and underwent medical evaluations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Experts are monitoring potential health complications, including muscle atrophy, vision issues like Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), and cognitive effects from prolonged microgravity exposure.
Despite rigorous exercise routines and high-calorie diets in space, Wilmore and Williams appeared visibly weakened, with some noting weight loss and gaunt features. Retired British astronaut Tim Peake noted that adjusting to gravity can feel “rough” initially, but NASA expects most physical conditions to improve within 45 days, although full recovery may take months.