NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, 59, and Butch Wilmore, 61, have been staying on the International Space Station (ISS) for five months. To save resources and reduce waste, the ISS turns their urine and sweat into fresh drinking water, as reported by the New York Post.

Even with the difficulties of living in space, the astronauts have been eating different types of food like pizza, roast chicken, tuna, shrimp cocktails, and cereal with powdered milk. However, they don’t have many fresh fruits or vegetables to add to their meals.

Concerns over weight loss addressed

Recently, NASA shared photos of Sunita Williams, showing her looking thinner with hollowed cheeks, which made people worried about her health. NASA doctors are closely monitoring the astronauts’ diet and health to make sure they are okay.

A specialist associated with the Starliner mission assured the public that the astronauts have enough food. "Nothing is left to chance, and that includes their food," the specialist told the New York Post. They clarified that the weight loss was not due to a food shortage, as the ISS is stocked with plenty of supplies for extended missions.

Williams also dismissed the concerns as “rumours,” explaining that her appearance is due to fluid shifting caused by the weightlessness in space. “There’s some rumours around out there that I’m losing weight and stuff,” Williams said in a video interview. “No, I’m actually right at the same amount.” NASA continues to monitor their health closely, ensuring they remain safe and well during their extended stay on the ISS.

Who is Sunita Williams?

Sunita Williams is an American astronaut and a retired U.S. Navy officer. She was born on September 19, 1965. She is famous for holding the record for the most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and for spending the most time on spacewalks by a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes).

Williams has been to the International Space Station (ISS) on several missions. She was part of Expedition 14 and Expedition 15 and served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 in 2012. Later, she became the commander of Expedition 33.

In 2024, Sunita Williams returned to the ISS on the Boeing Crew Flight Test, which was the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner. However, her return to Earth has been delayed until February 2025. During this time, she and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are working on scientific experiments and taking care of maintenance tasks on the ISS.