4 days ago
4
Washington:
NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore's biggest struggle since returning to Earth has been readjusting and getting accustomed to living under the influence of gravity, his wife, Deanna, has revealed. Mr Wilmore and his crewmate Sunita Williams, made their way back to Earth last week after being stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for 286 days.
"Barry does say gravity is not his friend right now. His stamina is not there, and they have to rest and relax quite a bit because they're just not strong yet," Deanna Wilmore told a UK media company.
The human body suffers immensely when spending that long a time in low gravity, losing a lot of muscle and bone, among other health problems. Astrophysicist Alan Duffy of Swinburne University explained the persistent absence of gravity on the human body can result in a major and irreversible decrease in bone density, reported the Guardian.
It also results in "muscles to waste in your arms, legs, trunk" and "heart, which, because it doesn't have to pump blood against gravity, has to work much less hard".
NASA reported that both astronauts were participating in a 45-day reconditioning programme, which includes two hours of physical training with specialised trainers. The duo will now undergo comprehensive physical therapy, mobility training, stretching, and progressive core and spinal stabilisation exercises to regain their strength.
Following their spectacular splashdown off the coast of Florida on March 18, Barry Wilmore was reunited with his wife and their daughters, Daryn and Logan.
Mr Wilmore's wife further described the family's reunion with the NASA astronaut as "not a lot of talking, just a lot of hugging and enjoying the moment."
Their daughter Daryn, 19, declared on social media that her father was "doing good, it's rough, but he's a trooper."
Mr Wilmore hopes to attend his daughter's graduation next month, but it appears that the 62-year-old is only interested in relaxing for now.
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