NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore made their way back to Earth on Tuesday with the Crew-9 spacecraft in a rescue mission carried out by SpaceX. After their return to Earth, both the NASA astronauts will undergo a 45-day rehabilitation programme to maintain their health and get used to the Earth’s gravity.

The rehabilitation programme, which aims at the post-flight reconditioning of astronauts and scientists, starts on the day of landing and continues for over six weeks.

Under this programme, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will undergo medical tests and physical therapy for two hours every day, seven days a week.

The Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation (ASCR) is in charge of the physical training and therapy of astronauts pre-flight, mid-flight and post-flight. Their programmes are build to recondition astronauts to the Earth’s gravity through a range of physical exercises and practices.

The 45-day rehabilitation programme is prepared in three phases. Phase 1 focuses on ambulation, flexibility and muscle strengthening, mainly through low intensity physical exercised and light physical therapy.

Phase 2 of rehabilitation focuses on proprioceptive exercise and cardiovascular conditioning. Space expeditions lead to a fluid shift in the body, causing a feeling of fullness, difficulty standing up and shrinking of heart muscles.

Cardiovascular conditioning is usually done through treadmills, stationary bikes, and resistance devices.

Phase 3, which is the longest of the three phases, lays detailed focus on the functional development of the astronauts. This phase helps the astronauts get back to their pre-flight physical conditions through a series of mid-intensity exercises.

Each phase of the ASCR rehabilitation programme for NASA astronauts is tailored to the specific needs and physiological condition of the astronauts, depending on their test results, preferred recreational activities, and mission roles and duties.

Though the pair of veteran NASA astronauts was supposed to stay in the ISS for just eight days, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded in the International Space Station for nine months after their spacecraft malfunctioned.

However, Elon Musk’s SpaceX spearheaded the rescue mission and recalibrated its original plan for the Crew-9 mission. Originally designed to include four astronauts, the Crew-9 spacecraft headed to ISS with just two astronauts on board to accommodate Williams and Wilmore on its journey back to Earth.

All four astronauts aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule – including Williams and Wilmore – splashed off the coast of Florida at 3.27 am IST, 17 hours after their journey began. After running preliminary physical checks, NASA said that all astronauts are in good health.

Source:indianexpress