Why Sunita Williams’ 286-day unscheduled space stay might be a blessing in disguise for NASA researchers

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams at the International Space Station. (Photo: NASA)

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on Wednesday after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in a mission that far exceeded its original timeline due to technical failures.

Their stay has become the longest-ever unscheduled stay in space. The astronauts had travelled to the ISS in June last year and were scheduled to return in a week. However, the Boeing Starliner, that had taken them there, developed technical snags after which it was considered unsafe for the astronauts’ return.

While Starliner itself returned safely to Earth in September 2024, the two astronauts were stranded on the ISS, waiting for an alternative travel arrangement.

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After a prolonged stay, the astronauts have finally returned to Earth onboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which carried four astronauts to the ISS on a routine assignment and brought back Williams (59) and Wilmore (62). Two other astronauts, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, who have completed their time on the ISS, also returned.

However, this unscheduled extended stay of 286 days might prove to be a blessing in disguise for the researchers. Williams and Wilmore could be very useful for researchers amid NASA’s ongoing study to assess the response of human bodies to long stays in space, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The astronauts had not trained to spend so much time at the ISS and their bodies might have reacted differently compared to others who prepare sufficiently for extended stays.

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Williams and Wilmore can provide the opportunity for researchers to study the mental and psychological impacts of being stranded in space, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Past studies have shown that bone density and muscle quality deteriorate faster in space than on Earth. Low gravity impacts brain fluids, and extended stays can potentially alter brain structure. Extended stays can also increase the risk of heart disease.

NASA and other space agencies are preparing to set up a permanent science facility on the Moon that will require humans to remain in space for extended periods. For this, it has been running a program to study the health impacts of long-period stays in space. US astronauts flying to the ISS can now volunteer to be part of such experiments.