What was initially planned as an eight-day mission has turned into an indefinite stay for two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Sunita “Suni” Williams and Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore were sent to test Boeing’s new Starliner, which encountered helium leaks and thruster failures shortly after docking, raising concerns about the spacecraft’s reliability for their return journey.
Despite Boeing’s assurance that the astronauts are not stranded and that there is “no increased risk” in using the Starliner for their return, NASA is considering an alternative: bringing the crew back on a SpaceX flight. Originally scheduled for just over a week in space, Williams and Wilmore have now been aboard the ISS for more than two months and could potentially remain until February 2025.
Life on the ISS: Space, Supplies, and Day-to-Day Routine
The ISS, spanning 356 feet (109 meters) end-to-end, is nearly the length of an American football field, including the end zones. With living and working areas larger than a six-bedroom house, the station is equipped with six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym, and a 360-degree observation window. However, despite its size, life aboard the ISS is far from luxurious.
Williams and Wilmore share the station with seven other astronauts from various missions, including four Americans and three Russians. While space and facilities are adequate, the pressing question is whether the astronauts have enough supplies to last until their eventual return.
Sustaining Life: Food, Water, and Oxygen
The ISS is well-stocked with essential supplies, including food, water, and oxygen. The station has oxygen-generating systems that recycle about 50% of the oxygen exhaled as carbon dioxide. Water is also conserved through a urine-into-drinking-water recycling system, which captures moisture from the crew’s breath and sweat.
Meals on the ISS are prepared by NASA’s Space Food Systems Laboratory in Houston, focusing on both nutrition and taste. While many meals are dehydrated and require rehydration before consumption, others are ready-made and just need heating. The menu includes a variety of foods, such as barbecued beef brisket, eggs, vegetables, and snacks. Astronauts can also request personal favorites, like Williams’ beloved Nutter Butter spread, which her family sent to her in space.
Recent Resupply Missions
The ISS regularly receives supplies from Earth, with the most recent shipment arriving on August 6. Launched from Kazakhstan, this delivery included about three tons of food, fuel, and other necessities. Williams and Wilmore, who had to leave their personal luggage behind to accommodate extra equipment during their June launch, finally received their own clothes with this resupply. More supplies are scheduled to arrive in the coming months.
The Challenges of Living in Space: Hygiene, Sleep, and Leisure
Life on the ISS includes unique challenges, such as using a toilet in a zero-gravity environment. Williams detailed this process in a NASA YouTube video, explaining that the toilet uses suction to prevent waste from floating away. Astronauts are provided with a variety of toiletries, including toothbrushes and wet wipes, although some items, like hairbrushes, are less practical in microgravity.
Sleeping on the ISS is also an unusual experience. Without gravity, astronauts don’t feel the difference between lying down, standing up, or being upside down. The ISS provides sleeping stations the size of phone booths, where crew members can rest in sleeping bags attached to the floor, wall, or ceiling.
During their downtime, astronauts can enjoy the view of Earth from the station’s observatory deck or exercise using the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED), which mimics weightlifting in a zero-gravity environment. Regular exercise is crucial to prevent muscle and bone loss during long missions.
Mental and Emotional Well-Being
Both Williams and Wilmore are seasoned NASA astronauts and retired navy captains with extensive experience in space. Despite the unexpected extension of their mission, they remain focused and committed to their work. In a news conference from space in July, they expressed confidence in Boeing’s Starliner and the ongoing tests to ensure its safety for their return.
While they have not publicly commented on the possibility of an eight-month stay, Wilmore’s wife, Deanna, shared that her husband is “content” on the ISS, relying on his faith for peace of mind.
What’s Next for the Astronauts?
As of now, Boeing has managed to reactivate all but one of the Starliner’s five failed thrusters. Engineers are working on Earth to resolve the spacecraft’s issues, including plugging helium leaks in its propulsion system. Although Boeing maintains that the Starliner can still safely return the astronauts to Earth, NASA is exploring the possibility of bringing them back on a SpaceX flight scheduled for September.
If the SpaceX option is chosen, two astronauts currently slated for that flight will have to stay behind to make room for Williams and Wilmore. A final decision is expected within the next week.
Space Stays: A Record-Breaking Challenge?
While an extended stay in space is challenging, it would not be unprecedented. Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the record for the longest single spaceflight, spending 437 days in orbit in the mid-1990s. More recently, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio returned from a 371-day mission, setting the record for the longest time an American has spent in space.
As Williams and Wilmore continue their mission aboard the ISS, the world watches closely, awaiting the resolution of the Starliner’s technical issues and the decision on how and when these astronauts will return home.
