NASA detailed on Wednesday the challenges astronauts face upon returning to Earth after extended missions in space. Following their nine-month expedition aboard the Starliner spacecraft, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with others, splashed down off Florida's coast near Tallahassee.

Steve Stich, a NASA official, highlighted the physiological adjustments astronauts undergo upon re-entering Earth’s gravity. He noted, "The body's inner ear and vestibular response struggle to readjust," explaining how gravity's pull affects fluid dynamics and sensory perception.

Stich elaborated, "After operating in microgravity, astronauts experience disorientation, dizziness, and difficulty with basic movements upon returning to Earth." He emphasized the necessity of "vascular and cardio reconditioning," as muscles and the cardiovascular system adapt back to terrestrial conditions.

Stich told the media that the body of astronauts “is used to being in microgravity now, the vestibular response is such that you feel disoriented and dizzy and have trouble getting up.”

“Physically, their body, when they are operating in space..., muscles weren't working as hard, and their heart wasn't working as hard. Vascular and cardio reconditioning that has to happen. They have to learn the skills back when on earth again,” he added.

During their extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Crew-9, including Williams and Wilmore, contributed significantly to scientific research and technology demonstrations. Their return marks the conclusion of NASA’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission.

The challenges of readjustment underscore NASA's ongoing research into the physiological impacts of space travel on the human body. As exploration missions extend further into deep space, understanding these effects becomes increasingly crucial for ensuring astronaut health and mission success.