NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore stuck in space for over 6 months: How are they keeping themselves healthy?

What was meant to be a 10-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for the NASA astronauts - Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams - to fly with Boeing have now extended it to 2025. Williams and Wilmore took off aboard the Boeing Starliner in June and have been at the ISS since the sixth of that month. The Starliner has faced glitches in the propulsion system following a series of helium leaks.

In October, SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the ISS, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year. The capsule rocketed into orbit to fetch the test pilots whose Boeing spacecraft returned to Earth empty earlier this month because of safety concerns.

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What are Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore doing in space to stay healthy?

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's extended stay has raised concerns about their survival, particularly regarding food and oxygen supply. NASA has assured that there is no immediate danger to Sunita Williams and the ISS has sufficient provisions to support the crew for the additional time.

"The space station is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing and oxygen," NASA stated. The agency stressed that regular resupply missions will ensure the astronauts' needs are met, citing regular arrivals of cargo spacecraft carrying food, fuel and supplies.

NASA in an official statement also stated that the world's largest space agency has a team of doctors, psychologists, and others on the ground dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of astronauts before, during, and after each space mission.

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"NASA assigns physicians with specialized training in space medicine, called flight surgeons, to each crew once named to a mission. Flight surgeons oversee the health care and medical training as crew members prepare for their mission, and they monitor the crew’s health before, during, and after their mission to the space station," it stated.

What about astronauts' mental and emotional well-being in space?

NASA also makes sure that mental and emotional well-being of astronauts are taken care of in space. The space agency provides individually determined psychological support services for crew members and their families during each mission, it said in a statement.

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"Ensuring astronauts can thrive in extreme environments starts as early as the astronaut selection process, in which applicants are evaluated on competencies such as adaptability and resilience. Astronauts receive extensive training to help them use self-assessment tools and treatments to manage their behavioral health. NASA also provides training in expeditionary skills to prepare every astronaut for missions on important competencies, such as self-care and team care, communication, and leadership and followership skills," it added.

To help maintain motivation and morale aboard the space station, astronauts can email, call, and video conference with their family and friends, receive crew care packages aboard NASA’s cargo resupply missions, and teleconference with a psychologist, if needed.