NASA stranded astronauts survive on soup made from recycled urine
NASA astronauts are stuck on the ISS, eating urine soup (RBC-Ukraine collage)
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been stranded in space since June. Initially, they were scheduled to spend only eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), but due to technical issues, they are stuck there until next year. A rescue mission is planned for 2025, and the astronauts are already facing challenges with food supplies, Daily Star reports.
61-year-old Butch Wilmore and 59-year-old Sunita Williams embarked on a mission to the ISS in June, originally planned to last just over a week. However, their return was delayed due to a helium leak in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which caused engine failure.
After extensive discussions, NASA deemed a crewed return trip too dangerous, leaving the astronauts stranded on the ISS.
Their rescue is now scheduled for February 2025, when a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is expected to retrieve them.
Life on the ISS is far from the comfort of Earth. Resources are limited, and every drop of water is treated as precious.
The extended stay has strained food supplies. The astronauts started with fresh fruits, vegetables, pizza, fried chicken, and shrimp cocktails. Now, their diet mainly consists of breakfast cereals with powdered milk, dehydrated casseroles, and freeze-dried soups rehydrated with water from the station’s 530-gallon reservoir.
The ISS relies on advanced recycling technologies that even extract water from unexpected sources, including astronauts’ own sweat and urine.
The ISS's water purification system is highly advanced. It converts urine and other waste into drinkable water. This recycled water is used for drinking and preparing food, including the soups the stranded astronauts consume.
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams (фото: facebook.com/NASA)
While this may seem unappealing to many, such practices are standard in space missions, where every gram of resources must be maximized. The recycled water meets the highest safety and purity standards.
NASA doctors closely monitor the astronauts' nutrition to ensure they consume enough calories to remain healthy during their prolonged mission. However, the astronauts appear to have lost some weight.
Sunita Williams noted that her fatigued appearance is due to the effects of microgravity, not the diet. She maintains her weight through strict exercise and proper nutrition.
The ISS food system is designed to support long missions, ensuring the crew’s health and dietary variety. NASA continues to pay special attention to the wellbeing of Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
Previously, talked about how NASA showed how they were testing spacesuits for a flight to the moon.
