Before and after photos of astronauts back on Earth show the impact of being in space for nine months
- Butch and Suni spent a record amount of time aboard the Space Station
- They were left stranded for nine months
- That length of time in zero gravity caused serious changes in their bodies
Published on Mar 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Mar 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
NASA astronauts Barry, AKA Butch Wilmore, and Sunita, AKA Suni Williams, spent a record-breaking nine months aboard the International Space Station, and the before and after photos of them are pretty shocking.
They were in space for far longer than their original plan of eight days.
Upon returning, they were stretchered away as their bodies needed time to readjust to Earth’s gravity.
Turns out that leaving Earth for an extended period of time can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.
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Physical changes to Suni Williams and Butch Willmore
Being stretchered away after their return is a normal procedure for NASA astronauts.
It’s all down to giving them time to readjust to Earth’s gravity after being in a weightless environment in space, where muscle and bone density are affected.
After an extended time in space, astronauts lose muscle mass and one percent of bone density per month.
The before and after photos
In the ‘after’ photos, observers noticed the astronauts looked more gaunt when compared to images of them from before their stint ahead of the ISS.
This could be linked to muscle and mass loss due to the lack of gravity.
Additionally, both Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore showed some signs of grey hair. Although this change started before the splashdown and was likely not due to the stress of re-entry.
Invisible effects on the astronauts
One of the significant changes you can’t see when astronauts return to Earth is the weakening of the heart from the lack of gravitational force required to pump blood.
What’s more, fluids that normally drain in Earth’s gravity accumulate in the head while in space. So the astronauts may have felt as though they had caught a cold due to this buildup.
Furthermore, space travel can affect the shape of the eyes and impact vision. And that can lead to long-term problems with eyesight.
Last, but certainly not least, exposure to cosmic radiation during their stay can cause alterations in DNA.
Thankfully, previous experiments have suggested that most of the damage to DNA will be repaired a few months after the astronauts return to Earth.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
