Wed Mar 19 04:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Astronaut Sunita Williams Returns to Earth After 17-Month Mission
**Cape Canaveral, Florida** – Veteran astronaut Sunita Williams has safely returned to Earth after a 17-hour journey, concluding a mission that kept her aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024. The 59-year-old Williams landed off the coast of Florida.
Williams’s appearance in recent photos sparked concerns about her health, with some observers noting a significant weight loss. Seattle pulmonologist Dr. Vinay Gupta commented on the photos, describing her face as “thin” and her cheeks as sunken. While pre-mission reports stated her weight at 63 kg, the exact current weight was not released.
However, NASA addressed these concerns. Dr. J.D. Polk, NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer, confirmed to DailyMail.com that all NASA astronauts on the ISS are healthy, emphasizing the continuous health monitoring and dietary management provided to ensure astronaut well-being.
Williams herself addressed the speculation in a September video, explaining that the perceived weight loss was due to fluid shifting in microgravity causing her face to appear thinner. She also clarified that her leg and hip muscles had increased in size due to her rigorous exercise regimen aboard the ISS.
Doctors explained that while astronauts do experience muscle and bone density loss in space due to the lack of gravity, requiring approximately two hours of daily exercise to mitigate, the high caloric expenditure in the space station (up to 3,500 calories a day) necessitates a significantly higher caloric intake to maintain weight. While the average woman on Earth requires 1,600-2,400 calories daily, Williams’s diet on the ISS may have required up to 5,000 calories per day. NASA maintains that she is healthy and in good condition following her return.
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