The Boeing Starliner Saga left Sunita Williams struggling—But now comes her toughest mission yet

NASA released images of Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore stepping back onto solid ground, something was immediately clear—this mission had taken a visible toll. Williams, 59, looked noticeably thinner, her wrists appearing fragile, her hair greyer, her face more gaunt. Medical experts say these are telltale signs of the intense physiological strain that months in space can inflict.

Williams and Wilmore were originally meant to spend just eight days on the International Space Station (ISS) after launching on June 5, 2024. But technical failures with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft turned their short trip into a 286-day marathon in microgravity. When they finally splashed down off the Florida coast, the effects were undeniable.

Weight Loss, Muscle Wasting, and Bone Density Decline

Doctors have raised concerns about Williams' visibly thin wrists, which could indicate significant muscle loss. Dr Olalekan Otulana, a general practitioner in the UK, explained, in a Daily Mail report, «Muscular atrophy, particularly in the forearm muscles, is common after long-duration spaceflight due to reduced use of these muscles in microgravity.»

Dr John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer at Jaquish Biomedical, pointed out that Williams has also likely lost weight and bone mass. “Without gravity, you don’t digest food as well. That, combined with limited mobility, accelerates muscle and bone loss," he told DailyMail.com.

Women, in particular, are more vulnerable to bone density loss due to lighter bone structures and declining estrogen levels post-menopause. Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, noted: «I'm not surprised to see this in Williams. Women tend to be impacted by these things more than men.»

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