NASA Refutes Reports of ‘Health Concerns’ for ISS Astronaut Suni Williams

Articles from the Daily Mail and New York Post, citing a pulmonologist and medical analyst, characterize the Boeing Starliner astronaut’s appearance in recent photos as “gaunt.” But the space agency told FLYING that Williams—along with the rest of the ISS crew—is just fine.

Williams and crewmate Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS on June 6 during Starliner’s inaugural crew flight test (CFT). The astronauts were expected to remain in orbit for about eight days, but their stay was extended until February due to unresolved issues with the spacecraft.

Both crewmembers are long-duration spaceflight veterans. Wilmore previously spent six months aboard the ISS during NASA’s Expedition 41 and 42 missions. Williams has spent a total of 322 days on the orbital laboratory, including a six-month stay during which she became the first person to run a marathon in space.

NASA has said the astronauts have plenty of food, water, clothing, and oxygen. The space agency also routinely flies resupply missions to keep the ISS stocked—four such missions have launched in 2024, with a fifth scheduled for December.

Images of the ISS crew, shared by NASA’s Johnson Space Center, drew comments from Dr. Vinay Gupta, a Seattle-based lung specialist and affiliate professor at the University of Washington. Gupta also serves as chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy and makes regular appearances on NBC News and MSNBC.

Gupta, speaking to the London-based Daily Mail, described Williams’ cheeks as “a bit sunken,” which he attributed to weight loss caused by a calorie deficit. Gupta did not immediately respond to FLYING’s request for comment.

The New York Post, citing an anonymous NASA source involved in the Starliner mission, claimed doctors began working with Williams about a month ago to address the supposed weight issue.

NASA, however, said there is nothing amiss with the astronaut’s health.

“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health,” a NASA spokesperson said.

In space, humans burn as many as 3,500 calories per day and typically slim down, according to NASA. For a four- to six-month ISS stay, it is not uncommon for astronauts to lose about 5 percent of their body weight by the time they return to Earth.

To avoid muscle and bone density loss in microgravity, crewmembers exercise for about two hours each day using a treadmill or stationary bike. They also eat three meals a day, typically consuming foods low in iron and sodium but high in calories and vitamin D. They sleep about eight hours each night.

Astronaut blood samples and station air quality are analyzed daily. An onboard system uses solar panels to generate oxygen from sunlight and keep air flowing through the orbital laboratory.

Speculation about Williams’ health follows last month’s splashdown of four astronauts on NASA’s Crew-8 mission, who headed to the hospital almost immediately after landing. One crewmember—whose name and condition were not released due to privacy concerns, NASA said—was held overnight but headed back to Houston the next day in “good health.”

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