Doctors are worried about NASA astronaut Sunita Williams' health because she has been in space longer than expected since June 6. Recent pictures of her show signs of stress and weight loss, which doctors think is due to the tough conditions in space. Dr. Gupta, one of the doctors checking on her condition, said her photos show the strain of living at a high altitude, even though she’s in a cabin with controlled air pressure, for a long time.

In one recent photo, Sunita Williams is seen making pepperoni pizza, but her face looks different, with sunken cheeks. Dr. Gupta thinks this could mean she has been eating less since her body is using more energy to adjust to life in zero gravity and to keep warm. Astronauts in space have to exercise about 2.5 hours every day to prevent losing muscle and bone strength, but space conditions are still very hard on their bodies over time.

Crew members face medical checks after return from ISS

Worries about astronaut health increased recently when four members of NASA’s Crew 8 were hospitalised. They had just returned from spending over 200 days on the International Space Station (ISS) and arrived back in Florida on October 25 in the SpaceX Dragon capsule. At first, one of the crew needed medical help, but soon all of them were taken to the hospital to be checked further.

Dr. Gupta noticed that although Sunita Williams looks different, she is probably not in immediate danger. However, he sees signs that she has lost weight all over her body. He pointed out that her cheeks looked a bit sunken, which is something that usually happens when a person loses a lot of weight.

Sunita Williams has been in space for over five months. During this time, she celebrated her birthday in September and even voted in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. However, being in space for so long is hard on her body, and doctors are increasingly concerned about her health due to these tough conditions.