From Weightlessness to Gravity: Sunita Williams Prepares for Earth’s Pull

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Finally the moment has arrived which many people were eagerly waiting for. The countdown for astronaut Sunita Williams' return to Earth has begun. After spending eight long months on the International Space Station (ISS), Sunita Williams and her partner Butch Wilmore are now ready to travel back to Earth. This return will be full of challenges for the astronauts. The biggest challenge is to adjust to the Earth's gravity. After staying in weightlessness for a long time, the Earth's gravitational force will have a strong effect on the body. Talking about this, Butch Wilmore said, "Gravity is very difficult. When we come back, it pulls us down. Body fluids start flowing downward, and even picking up a pencil may seem difficult." Sunita Williams is also fully aware of this challenge. She said, "Returning to Earth will not be easy. It will be a gradual process, in which we will have to reactivate our muscles." Astronauts who spend long hours in space face physical problems, including muscle weakness, loss of bone density and imbalance of fluids in the body. According to reports, an astronaut's bone density decreases by 1% for every month in space, as there is no weight on the bones in the absence of gravity.

After returning, Sunita Williams will have to undergo a rigorous rehabilitation program to help her body adapt to the conditions on Earth. In space, body fluids tend to move to the face, making the face look puffy and the arms and legs look thin. Upon returning to Earth, this balance will change, causing some discomfort. Despite these challenges, both Williams and Wilmore are excited about their return. They have successfully completed such missions before and hope that this time too their bodies will quickly adjust to the conditions on Earth. Wilmore said humorously, floating in space is a lot of fun, and I love my flying hair. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will depart from the International Space Station for Earth aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft on March 19. This historic mission is now in its final phase, and Sunita Williams is eager to set foot on Earth's soil once again.