NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore landed safely off the coast of Florida on Tuesday (US local time) in a SpaceX capsule, ending a mission that had lasted much longer than originally intended.
The astronauts were sent into the space for only 1 week but the mission extended a long period of nine months due to technical problems with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft
Have you ever wondered how Williams and Wilmore survived these nine critical months in space with limited food and resources? And more importantly, what did they eat to keep their body from shutting down? Let’s get into the details:
What did Williams Eat in Space?
On the ISS, astronauts do not have much fresh food, only pre-packaged and freeze-dried foods. In November last year, according to the New York Post, Wilmore and Williams consumed pizza, roast chicken, shrimp cocktails, and breakfast cereals with powdered milk.
A space program insider said, “There’s fresh fruit at first, but as the three months continue that goes away and their fruits and vegetables are packaged or freeze-dried.”
NASA takes care to provide astronauts with enough nutrition, carefully tracking their calorie consumption. Despite the extended mission, there was no apprehension of a dearth of food. “So accurately, it should be strictly clear that any weight loss is not due to the fact that there is a lack of food on the ISS. There is more than enough food, even for an extended mission,” the insider explained. The station carries about 3.8 pounds of food per astronaut per day with some additional backups to deal with the unexpected mission extension.
To facilitate the preparation of meals, all eggs and meat were pre-cooked on the earth and required only reheating at the station.
Dehydrated foods such as stews, soups, and casseroles were heated with water from the ISS 530-gallon freshwater storage tank, which also reuses astronauts’ urine and sweat to create drinking water.
Possible Impact on Body after Return to Earth
Coming home after an extended-duration mission is accompanied by a series of health concerns. Long-term exposure to microgravity causes muscle wasting, bone density loss, and cardiovascular adjustments. These effects compromise the ability of astronauts to resist fractures and have temporary effects on their standing, walking, and balance capabilities.
NASA medical personnel will perform comprehensive tests of Wilmore and Williams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to determine how they recover. Investigating how the body reacts to long-duration spaceflight is important for future deep space missions, such as possible manned missions to Mars.
Aside from physical well-being, space travelers also encounter psychological issues. Isolation over long periods of time and uncertainty of the mission can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. Space organizations counteract these effects by imposing ordered routines, setting regular communications with loved ones and psychologists, and offering entertainment activities like films, music, and reading.
Moreover, long-duration space flights raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some cancers because of radiation exposure. After the mission, astronauts are monitored for immune health and advised on lifestyle changes to help them recover.
More about Wilmore and Williams
Both Wilmore, 62, and Williams, 59, have strong test pilot experience in the Navy prior to being at NASA. Wilmore, a Tennessee-born former football player, missed his younger daughter’s senior year as a result of the mission, while Williams, a Massachusetts native competitive swimmer and distance runner, remained in contact with her husband and family via internet calls from space.
Upon return to life on Earth, their medical monitoring and rehabilitation will provide important data to aid in future long-term space missions.
