Astronauts return in space after 283 days - what awaits you now?

Astronauts return in space after 283 days - what awaits you now?

The dream of space can quickly become a nightmare: The two US astronauts Sun Williams and Barry Wilmore have spent a whopping 283 days in the weightlessness of the International Space Station (ISS) instead of the originally planned eight days since June 6, 2024. Technical problems in the test of the "Starliner" capsule of Boeing led to their return being moved further and more. On Tuesday, the space capsule with the astronauts in the sea in front of Florida landed, which marked the beginning of a long return process in the ordinary environment of the earth, as reported.

experts warn of the serious health effects of such a long mission. The astronauts could suffer after returning to dizziness and nausea, since the brain first has to get used to gravity again. "The biggest problem is that the feeling of balance is completely wrong," explains Günter Kargl from the Graz Institute for Space Research. In addition, astronauts suffer from muscle and bone breakdown in weightlessness, which can promote long-term osteoporosis, according to Dr. Boris Bigalke from the Berlin Charité. After landing, Williams and Wilmore must first be transported lying down and are subjected to a six -week rehabilitation, reports Bild.de .

psychological challenges

In addition to the physical challenges, astronauts also fight with psychological stress. Constant isolation and separation from their families can cause stress, fear and even depression. Despite these hard circumstances, Barry Wilmore remains positive: "We came up here and were prepared to stay long, even if we had planned to stay short," said the astronaut in an optimistic statement. The effective training programs in space could not prevent that there were still significant health risks associated with such a long stay.

The return of the two astronauts not only opens up new questions about the long -term effects of stays in space, but is also an impressive testimony of human determination and the challenges that astronauts have to deal with in the service of science and discovery.