NASA officials address media speculation on Suni Williams' health, affirming her well-being on the International Space Station.
NASA's Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are set to return to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. Image credit: NASA
NASA astronaut Suni Williams, currently orbiting Earth as commander of the International Space Station’s (ISS) Expedition 72, is in good health despite recent rumors suggesting otherwise, the agency confirmed in a statement today (Nov. 7).
Recent viral tabloid articles, including those from reputed news platforms, have sparked concerns about Williams’ condition. These reports speculated that Williams might be experiencing health issues on the ISS, drawing on the opinion of an outside doctor who interpreted a photo from Sept. 24, suggesting she appeared "gaunt."
NASA swiftly responded, assuring that there is “nothing to worry about.” In an email statement, agency officials stated, “Suni Williams is in good health,” adding that NASA is "not tracking any concerns" with her or any other spaceflyers aboard the ISS, which currently hosts four NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts.
“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” the statement emphasized, underscoring NASA’s stringent health monitoring processes for crew members in space.
Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS on June 6 via Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Initially scheduled to return to Earth a week later, technical issues with Starliner's thruster system prompted NASA to extend their stay. Ultimately, NASA decided to bring the Starliner capsule back to Earth uncrewed on Sept. 6, leaving Williams and Wilmore to remain aboard the ISS until their scheduled return in February 2025 alongside the two astronauts of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
Despite the longer-than-anticipated mission, NASA officials have reassured that there are ample supplies, including food, to sustain Williams and Wilmore throughout their extended stay on the ISS. This confirmation from NASA underscores the agency’s commitment to crew health and safety, especially in the face of unplanned mission extensions.
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