After being housed at the International Space Station for 10 months, the crew of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft are preparing to return to Earth. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June for what was supposed to be a 10-day stay, but their return was delayed due to issues with the spacecraft. SpaceX launched its Dragon capsule with four Crew-10 members on board to dock at the ISS and conduct research.
The success of the recent launch will allow Wilmore and Williams to return as early as March 19 on a separate Dragon spacecraft already docked at the station. They will be joined by Crew-9 astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov. While in space, astronauts face challenges such as physiological deterioration, exposure to radiation, and isolated environments. NASA conducts routine medical evaluations and ensures the space station is stocked with necessary supplies.
NASA gathers data from long-duration spaceflights to improve the safety of crewed missions. The longest someone has spent in space is NASA astronaut Frank Rubio with 371 consecutive days aboard the ISS. Crewmembers sleep in specially designed sleeping bags attached to walls in microgravity rest. They also must exercise about two hours each day to protect their muscles and bones in the absence of Earth’s gravity. NASA continues to monitor astronauts’ health in space and provide necessary resources for their well-being.
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