NASA astronauts could face ‘life altering’ changes to their bodies after being left stranded in space

They face muscle atrophy, radiation and heart changes

Barry Wilmore, 61, and Sunita Williams, 58, left Earth on the 5 June with the International Space Station (ISS) as their destination aboard the Boeing-made Starliner spacecraft.

The astronauts’ mission was only meant to last eight days as they continued tests on Boeing’s first reusable space capsule as it underwent its maiden flight with pilots onboard.

Starliner was only intended to reach the ISS and dock for a few days before returning back to Earth, however technical issues with the spacecraft have meant that the crew have now been stranded in space for two months.

NASA have since announced that their stay in space could be extended into 2025.

With such a long stay looking the most likely outcome for the two astronauts, experts have been expressing their concerns over the potential health impacts of such a long time spent in Earth's orbit.

There is plenty of evidence found in studies that time in space can lead to loss of bone density and muscle atrophy thanks to the weightless environment caused by microgravity due to the perpetual falling around a gravity inducing mass, overwise known as orbit.

As well as this, astronauts will experience higher radiation exposure being exposed to 365 times the amount of radiation experienced on earth and can encounter vision problems and other significant health issues.

Furthermore, Wilmore and Williams have not been trained for an extended stay in space, with their mission only expected to last eight days.

Rachael Seidler, a professor of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of Florida, spoke to the Daily Mail about the potential health impacts the astronauts are facing.

"Generally, almost all of the changes that we see with human spaceflight in terms of physiology seem to be dose dependent.

"The longer you're there, the bigger the change at least up to a point."

The ISS sits in a low-earth orbit, meaning astronauts experience just 90 percent of the gravity that people experience on Earth.

Kyle Zagrodzky, founder and CEO of bone health clinic, told Newsweek the effect living in the low-earth orbit of the Earth on the ISS can have on humans.

"Astronauts experience accelerated bone loss at an alarming rate, about 12 times faster than severe osteoporosis on Earth."

"Osteoporosis increases fracture risk, often leading to life-altering injuries. 

"Hip fractures pose a grave concern, as they can strip away independence and increase mortality risk."

In addition to this, astronauts who spent extended periods of time in space can lose up to 50 percent of their muscle mass, according to the European Space Agency as well as 50 percent of their cardiovascular endurance as per one study.

NASA say that living in a low gravity environment can even change the shape of a person's heart, causing it to shift from an oval shape to a round ball like shape, effecting its functionality.

If that's not bad enough, some astronauts complain of 'space fog' a phenomenon that can make them feel disoriented as well as cause nausea, vomiting and mood swings in more extreme cases.

Meanwhile the low gravity can increase the risk of developing kidney stones and induce Neuro-Ocular Syndrome, which reduces astronauts' near-distance vision.

Seidler said that "the longer astronauts spend in space, the longer it might take them to recover from these changes once they return to Earth."

Astronauts can combat the effects of low gravity on the body by working out that can reduce the effects of muscle atrophy and cardiovascular degeneration.

The unfortunate situation arose after technical problems befell the space capsule with engineers continuing to analyse data concerning faults with multiple of the ships thrusters when it approached for docking, and several helium leaks.

NASA face a tough choice in the coming days to decide if they will leave the astronauts on the ISS until next year when a Space X rocket will bring them home, or whether to attempt to bring them home on the faulty Boeing Starliner capsule.

If they choose to leave Wilmore and Williams in space, NASA would incorporate the two astronauts into their regularly scheduled crew aboard the ISS that rotate based on six-month stints.

This would mean only two new astronauts would be sent up on Space X’s Crew Dragon Capsule’s next delivery of crew to the space station with Wilmore and Williams making up the numbers as fully-fledged crew.

This would give the pair an estimated return date of February 2025.