NASA doctors are extremely concerned about stranded astronaut Sunita Williams after other experts expressed concern over her appearance. The NASA team is trying to help Sunita gain weight after she's lost a lot of weight since arriving at the International Space Station.
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Photos show that the 59-year-old appeared noticeably gaunt and skinny. That wasn't loss on NASA officials, who noticed the weight loss.
"She has lost a lot of weight," said a NASA employee. "The pounds have melted off her and she's now skin and bones. So it's a priority to help her stabilize the weight loss and hopefully reverse it."
Both Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stranded at the ISS for months after the Boeing Starliner experienced several technical malfunctions. They were only supposed to be in space for eight days. They're currently waiting for the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to give them a ride back to Earth in February.
NASA Monitoring Sunita
Williams has been unable to keep up with the high-caloric diet needed to keep weight.
"They have to eat about 3,500 to 4,000 calories per day, just to maintain their current weight," said the NASA employee. "And when you start falling behind, your weight drops fast."
To make the situation worse, the astronauts must exercise two hours or more a day to keep muscle mass and bone density. This also burns calories. Sunita needs to eat up to 5,000 calories a day to pack on more weight.
However, an official statement from NASA states that they're not ringing alarm bells just yet. They insist that Sunita will be alright.
"All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations," the statement reads. "They have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health."
This comes after four astronauts needed medical attention after returning to Earth after 200 days in Space. One needed overnight medical attention.
Still, some NASA staff are worried.
"I gasped out loud when I saw the last picture," the NASA employee said. "And it's something we're talking about, but not something we're obsessing about. It's a real concern and everyone is taking it seriously."
