Former astronaut talks challenges astronauts will face as they return to earth
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are back on Earth after being at the International Space Station for more than nine months.
The two splashed down off the Florida coast Tuesday evening just before 5 p.m. Williams and Wilmore traveled to the ISS for a planned short expedition in June 2024 when they performed the first astronaut-crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner capsule.
The two were set to come back to earth after 10 days, but the capsule had issues and Williams and Wilmore were left on the ISS for nine months.
Former Astronaut Linda Godwin took four shuttle trips, logging 38 hours in space, with the last trip docking on the ISS for a few days.
While Williams and Wilmore have returned to Earth, Godwin said they will face challenges while they adjust. Godwin says she has no experience with multi-month space trips, but is familiar with what challenges lie ahead.
Adjusting to Earth's daylight cycle can be challenge as Godwin said in space astronauts experience 16 sunrises and sunsets each day.
"In that orbit, which is about 90 minutes to go around the world, to go around the Earth whatever side of the Earth is facing the sun at the time is daylight. But, you go around the back of the planet its going to be dark so that makes a daylight cycle very different," Godwin said.
A major challenge will be readjusting to the planet's gravity, Godwin said. It could take months to adjust.
"So there is that sense of balance, and the brain figuring out, 'OK, I have to go back to the way I was picking things up and anticipating that weight that mass has," Godwin said.
After being in a two-person crew for months Wilmore and Williams may be overwhelmed being in large crowds and the media attention. According to Godwin, while Williams and Wilmore are back, they won't go back to normal life. They will have to go through rehabilitation and debriefs.
"I can imagine after that many months of having a small crew also just having a lot of people around feels different and I think it takes longer for the recovery," Godwin said.
