Updated : August 21, 2024 4:15 PM IST
Sunita Williams is an Indian origin-American astronaut. She is a seasoned NASA astronaut, currently stuck on the International Space Station (ISS). The initial plan of her journey to ISS was a eight-day mission, however, due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, Williams' stay on ISS has stretched into months.
Sunita Williams' spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner, encountered multiple technical issues right after entering the International Space Station (ISS). As per reports, Williams along with Butch Wilmore are stuck in the space for over 50 days now. Their spacecraft is facing helium leaks malfunctioning thrusters, issues with propellant valves, which is leading to a massive delay in their return.
Extended stay in space (over 50 days) can have serious impact on an astronauts health. As per reports, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is also facing sets of health problems as her journey which was meant to be a 7-day long stay in space has now extended by more than 2 months. Scroll down to know about about her health problems.
Experts believe that Sunita Williams' extended stay in space due to the Starliner spacecraft's malfunctions is likely to have a profound impact on her perception of time. This mainly happens because of the isolation, which when combined with the monotonous routine of space life, can significantly contribute to distort an individual's sense of time.
Apart from what mentioned-above, Williams is also facing other health challenges such as vision problem - a condition known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). Sunita Williams is losing her eyesight due to extended exposure to microgravity. Another common challenge for astronauts in space is bone density loss.