Life after space: how will Nasa's stranded astronauts cope?

Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore are headed back to Earth after nine months on the ISS – but their greatest challenge may still lie ahead

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building on June 05, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida
"Intensive physiotherapy": Wilmore (left) and Williams (right) will need extensive physical reconditioning after so long in space
(Image credit: Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

Human beings have evolved to become "perfectly adapted to life on Earth", said Sky News. So, spending time in space, without gravity or sunlight, and exposed to radiation, "poses a real challenge, physically".

And for "stranded" astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore – whose routine eight-day visit to the International Space Station turned into an unscheduled nine-month stay – the challenge may be even bigger when they finally come back home to Earth today.

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Harriet Marsden is a writer for The Week, mostly covering UK and global news and politics. Before joining the site, she was a freelance journalist for seven years, specialising in social affairs, gender equality and culture. She worked for The Guardian, The Times and The Independent, and regularly contributed articles to The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Tortoise Media and Metro, as well as appearing on BBC Radio London, Times Radio and “Woman’s Hour”. She has a master’s in international journalism from City University, London, and was awarded the "journalist-at-large" fellowship by the Local Trust charity in 2021.