NASA astronaut Sunita Williams will lose a lot of weight during an extended stay in space, and NASA medical team on board the ISS keeps an eye on that.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has recently gained attention due to health issues stemming from her extended time in space, notably significant weight loss shown in recent photos. She has been aboard the International Space Station since June, alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore. Their mission, originally a test flight for Boeing's Starliner space craft, became complicated when they were trapped in an unmanned crew vehicle, leading to its return for safety reasons.

Williams and Wilmore are currently working on a different mission from the ISS, with their return scheduled for February 2024. Recent photos raise concerns about Williams' health, showing her significant weight loss. Initially weighing 140 lbs, she has struggled to maintain her weight due to a lack of adherence to the high-calorie diet required during the mission.

In the meantime, a representative from NASA has reassured the public that there are flight surgeons plus a doctor who is monitoring all crew members’ health on board the ISS, and that Williams is also being closely checked. Jimi Russell, a spokesman for NASA said, “All astronauts in the ISS are systematically medically checked and kept medically normal.”

The extended stay of Williams and Wilmore was influenced by the Starliner crisis, impacting three other NASA astronauts who returned from the ISS on October 25th. Weather delays caused them to remain in orbit longer before being sent to a medical facility post-landing.