Saying that NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for longer than expected is an understatement, but has now caused some experts to thing how long people could really survive up there in the wake of an apocalyptic event.
After what was meant to be an eight-day mission turned into a nine-month stay on the station,Ā NASA reportedĀ that the latest rescue attempt viaĀ SpaceXĀ mission was delayed until at least Friday evening on March 14 due to a hydraulics issue.
With their prolonged stay making headlines, people have started to wonder how long astronauts could actually survive up there if something happened to wipe out all life on Earth ā making the ISS crew the last surviving humans.
Itās arguably a morbid question, but an interesting one that YouTuber and educator Vsauce decided to explore. According to their analysis, astronauts wouldnāt necessarily run out of food or oxygen first, the real problem would be something much bigger.
As the above video explains, the ISS is designed to sustain life for long periods, with oxygen being recycled through electrolysis and food supplies being carefully rationed. Depending on when the last supply mission arrived, the crew could potentially have enough food to survive for around two years.
NASAĀ has strict guidelines ensuring all food sent to the ISS has a minimum shelf-life of one year. While expired food isnāt ideal, itās likely those astronauts wouldnāt be too picky in a world-ending scenario.
Interestingly, there have already been real-life instances where the ISS crew had to stretch their resources. NASA previously revealed that astronauts once had to survive for eight months without any new food, water, or supplies due to three failed resupply missions. So, while tough, prolonged survival is definitely possible.
You might think starvation or lack of oxygen would be the astronautsā biggest problem, but thatās not actually the case. The real issue is a loss of orbital altitude, as also demonstrated on the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of EarthāsĀ ISS Space Station Orbit tutorial.
Asteroids striking the Earth, a potential extinction event (Getty Images)
As Vsauce also explained: “The first thing they would run out of… would be altitude.”
The ISS orbits at about 258 miles (415 km) above Earth, but over time, it naturally drifts closer due to a mix of Earth’s gravitational pull and the thin atmospheric drag it experiences. Under normal circumstances, supply ships would deliver propellant needed for regularly performed reboost maneuvers to keep it in position.
Without these, the station would gradually descend.
NASAās 2024Ā SpaceĀ Station Transition Plan backs this up, estimating in theirĀ ISS Transition PlanĀ that without intervention, the ISS would stay in orbit for about one to two years before eventually burning up in Earthās atmosphere. Vsauceās prediction of around 15 months is therefore pretty spot on.
Featured Image Credit: NASA
How to see the International Space Station from Earth as ‘stranded’ NASA astronauts are finally set to return
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been in space since June 2024
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally due to land back on Earth, and some 280 days after they stepped onto the International Space Station, they’re due to be rescued NASA’s Crew-10 relief team.
While the original mission was only due to take eight days, issues with their craft meant it was flown back unmanned and the pair were forced to wait for a new crew to fly up toĀ replace them on the ISS.
There were plans to put the Crew-10 team on a new Dragon spacecraft, but due to mounting pressure and complaints thatĀ Williams and WilmoreĀ had been ‘forgotten’ by the Biden administration, NASA eventually settled on reusing an existing Dragon.
Wilmore and Williams have been on the ISS since June 2024 (Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers / Contributor / Getty)
Although Williams has insisted the astronautsĀ aren’tĀ stranded, we’re sure they’ll be glad to get home after missingĀ birthdays, Thanksgiving, and New Year celebrations.
The dynamic duo will immediately be rushed off on a stretcher for aĀ ‘brutal’ rehab regime, but more than catching a glimpse of them landing, you’ll soon by able to spot the ISS.
Looking atĀ NASA’sĀ Spot the StationĀ site,Ā the ISS will be visible from the Kennedy Space Center for four minutes on Thursday, March 13.
Those who want to look to the skies will be able to see the ISS at 8:36 PM (local time), appearing at 10Ā° above WNW and disappearing at 10Ā° above N.
There are plenty of other positions you’ll be able to see the ISS. Those at the Statue of Liberty will be able to snatch a seven-minute glimpse on Friday, March 14 at 7:50 PM.
PresidentĀ Donald TrumpĀ can get a six-minute look on March 12 at 7:49 PM, or five minutes on March 13 at 8:38 PM.
With Musk being awarded aĀ lucrative contract to destroy the ISS, you might want to get a look while you still can. Even though theĀ SpaceXĀ boss has said he wants to deorbit the space station in the next two years, Williams herself has suggested it would beĀ wrong to do it before 2030, saying the ISS is currently in its prime.
The ISS has happily been sat up there since 1998, and despite being some 250 miles above us, the fact it circles the Earth 15.5 times a day means it’s often not too hard to catch a glimpse of.
NASA says that although the ISS looks a bit like an airplane moving across the sky, the fact it flies at 28,000 kilometers per hour means it’ll appear much quicker. Thankfully, the fact its roughly the size of a football field means the ISS isn’t too hard to spot with the naked eye – as long as the horizon isn’t cluttered and the skies are clear.
The Spot the Station site can pinpoint locations around the globe, meaning it’s not just those in the USA who’ll be able to take a look at the ISS in all its glory.
With Williams and Wilmore due to land on March 16, their nine-month extended stay in space is nearly at an end.
Featured Image Credit: SCIEPRO / Getty
Elon Musk doubles down on shocking claim about ‘stranded’ NASA astronauts in Joe Rogan interview
He’s putting the blame firmly on the Biden administration
We imagine you don’t get to become the world’s richest man without having to make some pretty tough decisions or by holding your tongue.
Known as someone to speak his mind,Ā Elon MuskĀ has again fired shots atĀ NASAĀ and the situation involving astronautsĀ Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
While Williams has previously insisted they aren’t ‘stranded’, the pair have been stuck aboard the International Space Station since July 2024 when they flew on the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner.
Although the mission was only supposed to take eight days, an issue with their craft meant it was sent back unmanned, and they were marooned in the stars.
PresidentĀ Donald TrumpĀ has called on Musk toĀ ‘go get’ the astronauts, while NASA has confirmed when their rescue is due to happen.
Williams and Wilmore have been on the ISS for over eight months (NASA)
There’s been much debate about when they’ll be brought back, with Musk suggesting the Biden administration purposefullyĀ left them up there for political reasons. This irkedĀ ESA astronaut Andreas Morgensen, who branded Musk a liar for these claims.
In return, Musk called Morgensen an ‘idiot’, and the whole thing turned into a bit of an internet feud. In one particularly heated exchange, Musk wrote: “You are fully retarded.
SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago.
“I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused.
“Return WAS pushed back for political reasons. Idiot.”
Musk has once again discussed the fates of Williams and Wilmore, this time, giving his own thoughts in an interview with Joe Rogan onĀ The Joe Rogan ExperienceĀ podcast.
Reiterating his plan to build a civilization on Mars, Musk then addressed the astronauts when Rogan asked if he was still supposed to be rescuing them.
Musk said: “Yeah, that’s coming up in a couple of weeks…They were supposed to be up there for like eight days, and they’ve been up there for like I think eight months, so a little longer than expected.”
When Rogan asked what it will be like for the pair trying to adjust to life back on Earth, Musk continued to explain some of theĀ side effects of extended stay in spaceĀ and referred to the whole situation as ‘political football’ after the Biden administration supposedly rejected his offer to bring them back much earlier.
Explaining his stance on the situation, the billionaire concluded: “There’s no way they’re [the Biden administration] going to make anyone who’s supporting Trump look good.”
Musk went on to say the Biden administration was trying to sueĀ SpaceXĀ for not hiring asylum seekers, so it’s clear there’s no love lost there.
He claimed that the SpaceX Dragon is the only craft considered safe enough to rescue the astronauts, and while the Russians could’ve used their own rockets to get them, Musk thinks they would’ve charged ‘crazy’ money and used it as a propaganda victory.
It’s clear Musk still has a bee in his bonnet about all of this, but at least we’re one day closer to getting Williams and Wilmore back on terra firma.
Featured Image Credit: PowerfulJRE/YouTube
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SpaceX’s huge setback that lead to delay in rescue mission of ‘stranded astronauts’ on the ISS
A late twist has further delayed the stranded astronauts’ return to Earth
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was forcibly delayed right before it was about to take off, preventing the rescue mission from commencing and once again delaying the return of stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS).
Turns out that even when you’ve got the go-ahead and think that you’re ready to complete a long-awaited space launch, things can still go wrong andĀ delay the procedure at the last minute.
The Falcon 9 launch was aborted at the last minute due to issues with the landing pad (X/@SpaceX)
Following US President Donald Trump’s request forĀ Elon MuskĀ toĀ ‘go get’ stranded pairĀ Williams and Wilmore from the ISS, the SpaceX CEO hasĀ incessantly pushed the blame for delays on the Biden administration.
He indicated that the last government was ‘extremely antagonistic’ towards his private space company, yet delays continue to push back the return date that those on the International Space Station have been waiting over nine months for.
Although it was supposed to be just an eight day mission, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been ‘stranded’ upon the ISS since June last year after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced issues.
The Starliner was ordered to return to Earth without passengers, and their retrieval was transferred over to SpaceX, with Musk’s company now taking responsibility.
However, issues with their very own Crew-10 mission continued to delay the rescue, and it looks like things still aren’t ready to go, despite four astronauts sat in their seats ready for takeoff.
As reported by the Mirror, plans for takeoff at the Kennedy Space Center were scrapped following a problem identified with the launch pad and critical hydraulic system, and a SpaceX commentator indicated that the launch won’t go ahead “unless we know we can do so safely and reliably.”
Precautions are vitally important just under a week after the company’sĀ Starship 8 test launch saw the rocket burst into flamesĀ before crashing back down onto Earth.
Following the delay, SpaceX hasĀ announcedĀ that they are targeting “no earlier than Friday, March 14 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 10th operational human spaceflight mission,” with aĀ reserve backup also scheduledĀ for the day after in case there are any further issues.
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Many on social media are offering wishes of safety and good luck for this second launch attempt, and hopefully it will go off without any issues, letting Crew-10 begin operations and returning Williams and Wilmore from their extended stay.
Unfortunately for the ‘stranded’ pair, they won’t be able to immediately return to normal life as they will beĀ immediately transferred to a medical rehabilitation centerĀ where they willĀ undergo physical tests for around six weeks.
This is due to the effect that such a lengthy stay in space has on the body, as evenĀ strenuous daily exerciseĀ isn’t enough to avoid muscle loss, making simple actions likeĀ learning to walk againĀ challenging for astronauts.
Featured Image Credit: Brandon Bell / Staff / Getty
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Shocking amount of money stranded astronauts are likely to be paid after 8-day mission turned into over 9 months
Their time in space is treated like a regular work trip
The days are getting closer until SpaceX and NASA can finally bring the two stranded astronauts home safely.
In the meantime, youāve got to wonder – are they at least getting a nice paycheck for being stuck inĀ spaceĀ all that time?
NASAĀ astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams have been on board the International Space Station (ISS) since last June on what was supposed to be a week-long mission.
However, their Boeing Starliner spacecraft suffered technical difficulties, leaving them stranded in space.
The wait slowly turned into nine months and counting.
Just yesterday (12 March), the rescue mission was ready to go – SpaceX was set to launch Crew-10 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and DragonĀ spacecraftĀ from Florida. But, less than an hour before liftoff,Ā the mission was aborted, with Musk’s space company reporting a hydraulic system issue in the launch tower.
The rescue mission has been rescheduled for 14 March. GREGG NEWTON / Contributor / Getty
This is yet another delay to the pair’s rescue, following Crew-10, a joint Nasa-SpaceX mission that was scheduled on 12 February but postponed due to a problem with one of the rocket’s clamp arms.
Crew-10 has beenĀ rescheduled for launchĀ on 14 March. At least after all that, they can look forward to a hefty paycheque, right?
Well, according to retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, astronauts don’t really get any special overtime beyond their standardĀ salary.
Given that they are federal employees, their time in space is treated just like a regular work trip on Earth – which is underwhelming, to say the least.
“There is some small amount of money every say for incidentals that they end up being legally obligated to pay you,” Coleman informed, but this is likely to be around just $4 per day, totalling $1,004 each for their time so far.
Furthermore, the space agency insists that the astronauts are not exactly ‘stranded’.
Wilmore and Williams have been stranded for over nine months. NASA / Handout / Getty
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said in an interview with Washingtonian that ‘the party line at NASA is that the astronauts are not stranded,’ and the situation has been ‘way overblown.’
“They’re fine,” McDowell explained. “They just got to do an extra spacewalk, which they love. They’ll come home on the next ride.”
This doesn’t really consider theĀ possible health concernsĀ that the pair may be enduring.
Photos have shown the astronauts looking visibly thinner, and reports indicate they have to exercise for hours every day to prevent seriousĀ healthĀ issues caused by chronic weightlessness.
Still, Williams has remained positive, reflecting on theĀ unexpected extension of their mission.
“Of course, you know, we came up here thinking we’d be only here for a little while and do our test flight, but then the added time here has allowed us to do all theĀ scienceĀ experiments,” she said.
“We’ve gone through a lot of holidays together. We’ve learned how to make cakes up here for each other. So it’s been a lot of fun actually.”