The Mental Toll of Unexpectedly Spending Months in Space

R.It is the longest eight -day of Boch Wilmor and Sony Williams ever turned into more than nine months. On June 5, 2024, NASA astronauts on board the ship launched a new spacecraft from Boeing as it was supposed to be a short short trip to the International Space Station (ISS), before turning and heading to the home slightly over a week later. Williams, one of the old warriors in two sessions at a long -term station, spent 322 days in space before its launch in June. While all manifestations have always flourished in her work outside the plan, she was enthusiastic about this planned fast task.

“We want to go back and return as soon as possible so that they can turn our spacecraft and also take all those lessons learned and integrate them into the following Starliner,” Time said in a conversation before its launch.

But this was not. The flowing problems and helium leaks on Starliner NASA led to the conclusion that the spacecraft was not decent to transport astronauts to the home. Instead, the ship left the station Spray down without beingWillore and Williams left to join the station’s rotation, live and work on the International Space Station until the space spacecraft in the fresh Spacex arrived to take them home. After a lot of anticipation, that ship Issued with the station on March 16 The astronauts climbed up on a bound in the ocean later today, March 18, after 278 full days have already passed on to leave the International Space Station.

What is the type of emotional amendment that Williams and Wilwmore had to make them when they moved from the guests overnight to the long -term population on the station? What will be the re -codification of life on Earth after a lot of time away from home and the family – and for this issue of sunlight, pure air and the simple reality of heaviness?

Since the first astronauts and astronauts went, they had to make this transition through the glass between the ground and outer living, and the results were sometimes comic, and sometimes surreal.

In 1965, astronaut Frank Burman and Jim Loville spent a two -week registered in the Earth in Earth. The seventh Gemini The spacecraft. Luville recalls that they are less on the recovery ship US SS Shortly after Splashdown and evaluated by NASA’s psychiatrist. Leville was drinking coffee and had a spoon in one hand. This means putting it, and instead it simply released it above the table, leaving it to fall with Qaqa. The psychologist looked at him curiously, ignoring Luville. After two weeks of scratch, he used to give up things in the air and make them float equal as they were.

In 1971, astronaut Dave Scott was more than another world. leader Apollo 15Scott walked on the surface of the moon, returned to Earth, and after a few days he was recruited by his neighbors in the welcome cooker. He stands in his backyard, spread the well, looked at the sky where it was a bright bright moon. “A week ago,” I thought incredibly, “I was there.”

This photo taken from a video clip published by NASA shows, from the left, Bush Wilmor, Nick The Hague and Sony Williams, talking during a press conference, on Tuesday, 4 March 2025. NASA/father

Before William and Williams amended the return to Earth, of course, they had to prepare themselves to leave it in the first place, and this was at least a process that was partially rejected. Training on the long-term space mission is equal physical and mental parts, which is this piece of mental-farewell to all earthly people and things for half a year or more-which they lost, instead training on an eight-day task. This comes at a price.

In 2015, Time Baikonur’s Cosmodrome visited in Kazakhstan to shoot documentary films.Year“On the astronaut Scott Kelly for approximately 12 months on ISS. Just two days before Kelly’s launch from Baqonor, the time spoke to the astronaut Jeffrey Williams, a part of the reserve crew, who would have climbed somewhere, would have been getting his polish.

Pioneer Mike MassiminoAn ancient warrior on two tasks of the shuttle says that the missing family was probably the most difficult mental challenge he faced Wilmur and Williams. “Although they love their jobs and they are grateful for this opportunity, there is still a heart tightening of getting away from home for a long time,” he says.

However, for all aspects, at least, Willmore and Williams are quickly fossil with the ISS life cycle – at least if it is a people for the couple at work inside the station and During space It was any indicator.

“Sony has blocked such joy in the past eight months,” said retired astronaut. Marsha EvinesHe is an old warrior of five space shuttle missions and a friend of Class and Williams. “It is infectious to see it.”

“We went up ready to stay for a long time, although we are planning to stay short.” Wilmor said At a press conference from air to Earth. “This is what we do on the journey of human space.”

“All functional astronauts know the risks involved in human transport, or a long or short period, and they accept these risks when they are connected to the missile to start,” says Evens. “A large part of our training is learning to deal with unexpected and productive emergency scenarios, and it is still completing the task.”

Return to the house will present various challenges. “The most difficult thing to return to Earth after several months in space is adapting to gravity,” said retired astronaut Terry Vertis, a veterans on two space flights, including long -term residence as ISS commander. “NASA’s hard rehabilitation program was a key to his quick adaptation to my planet. The first few days were not enjoyable, but I was religious in exercising daily and I went back to driving and daily normal life much more than I expected.”

The mental part – as the Apollo leader 15 Scott has witnessed – is also very important. “It is important to return to” the Earth’s situation “from a psychological perspective,” says Vertis. “For me, it was a lighting key: one day I was living in space, and as soon as I came back to Houston, I just went back to my normal life. It is really important to get goals and things I aspire to here, as you may get another opportunity to travel in space.”

It is too early to say whether Wilmore or Williams will fly again or whether their stay on the International Space Station will be his last journey outside Earth. Space pioneer Baiji Whittson holds the United States record for most cumulative days in space, in 675. Williams is now in Two spot number In 608 days, Willmore recorded 464 very large. This may be more than enough for any fatal – or not. If Willmore and Williams are far from space, they will do this with the distinction of themselves, as Evens says, more than others. Out of the stadium Of tasks.

“Suni and Butch accepted the unexpected extension of their mission with this blessing and humor,” she says. “Show flexibility, the ability to adapt, and the optimistic diversity in the crew on the plane is exactly what one should hope for a professional astronaut and makes me more proud to contact them my friends.”

By BBC

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