NASA astronaut Suni Williams is in good health in Earth orbit, despite some speculation in the media to the contrary, according to the agency.
Tabloids such as The Daily Mail and The New York Post have published stories recently speculating that Williams may be going downhill aboard the International Space Station (ISS), citing an outside doctor's thoughts about a Sept. 24 photo in which she supposedly appears "gaunt."
But there's nothing to worry about, NASA officials said in emailed statement today (Nov. 7).
That statement stressed that Williams, the commander of the ISS' current Expedition 72, "is in good health" and that NASA is "not tracking any concerns" with her or any other agency spaceflyer aboard the ISS. (There are four NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts living on the station at the moment.)
"All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health," the statement reads.
Related: NASA astronaut Suni Williams sends Happy Diwali wishes from ISS (video)
Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore arrived at the orbiting lab on June 6 aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The duo were supposed to come home just a week or so later, but problems with Starliner's thruster system extended their stay and eventually convinced NASA to bring the Boeing capsule home uncrewed.
That happened on Sept. 6. Williams and Wilmore, meanwhile, will stay aboard the ISS until February 2025, when they'll return to Earth with the two astronauts of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission.
There are plenty of supplies — including food — to support Williams and Wilmore through the end of their unexpectedly long orbital stay, NASA officials have said.
