Doctors raise fresh concerns about stranded NASA astronauts' health after another delay

Doctors are raising fresh concerns about the health of NASA’s two stranded astronauts who were dealt a major blow last night.

The space agency once again delayed the return of Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore until late March at the earliest, stretching their mission to over nine months.

Williams and Wilmore were only meant to spent eight days aboard the International Space Station when they launched on Boeing’s faulty Starliner spacecraft on June 5.

Now, their names could be added to the short list of NASA astronauts who have spent more than 300 days in space. Only five have ever completed missions that long.

Dr John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer, told DailyMail.com: ‘By the time they get back to Earth, they will be at extreme risk of fragility fracture.

‘They probably will not be able to walk under their own power. They will probably leave the space vehicle on a stretcher, and it will take them months to recondition their bodies.’

This is not uncommon for astronauts after long mission in space, but doctors have expressed particular concern for Williams who they say is already showing signs of weight loss and malnourishment, though NASA has denied these ‘rumors.’

Williams and Wilmore also face risks to their psychological health, Dr. Carole Liberman, a psychiatrist based in California, told DailyMail.com.

‘Of course, astronauts are taught how to handle stressful circumstances,’ she said, ‘but this up and down, hope - no hope, scenario for 300 days is beyond what they would have expected.’