NASA astronaut reveals that the Starliner crew may modify their exercise regimen during their prolonged mission on the ISS.

The astronaut who has spent the longest time in space due to technical difficulties with his spacecraft said that the latest crew to experience issues in orbit will have to adjust their routine.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have extensive experience with Boeing Starliner, are currently stranded in space and will not be able to return home until February.

The planned eight-day space trip has become a months-long journey. NASA officials announced that the spacecraft would return to Earth without them over the weekend.

In September, SpaceX will launch a Dragon capsule with two astronauts to the space station, and return in February with four astronauts, including Wilmore and Williams.

Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut, holds the record for the longest single-duration spaceflight for a U.S. astronaut and has some experience being in a comparable situation to Wilmore and Williams.

On September 21, 2022, Rubio embarked on his first space journey aboard a Soyuz spacecraft with Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. However, the spacecraft experienced a coolant leak, necessitating an extended mission until another Soyuz capsule could be launched to replace the damaged vessel. The new vessel was launched on February 23, 2023.

Although Rubio did not spend the longest amount of time in space at once, he ultimately spent 371 days in space. The record for the longest consecutive days in space is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days on the former Mir space station in 1994 and 1995.

Rubio stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that spending 371 days in space has both positive and negative aspects.

"Experiencing something few humans have ever experienced makes it more natural to work and get things done in space. The longer you do it, the better. Looking out the window and seeing the best view of the planet from outside it keeps you motivated. So, that part is great too."

But he also said there are some challenges.

The emotional toll on astronauts can be caused by missing loved ones, friends, and activities outside of work.

Rubio stated that most people would agree that the positives of having the opportunity to appreciate a unique experience outweigh the negatives, even though it's a limited time.

Rubio stated that part of his mission is establishing a deep trust in the NASA team and ensuring that extensive testing and analysis are conducted to guarantee the crew's safety.

""The knowledge that this was the safest route possible provides comfort and helps cope with the difficulties of knowing that your mission has been extended," he said."

An eight-month mission requires a different daily routine compared to an eight-day mission.

Rubio believes that an eight-day exercise mission may not be as significant as an eight-month mission due to the body's deconditioning process.

"According to Rubio, after spending two months or more in space, the deconditioning process intensifies, making it crucial to maintain a daily physical training routine that incorporates both resistance and cardiovascular training. He believes that as soon as Wilmore and Williams realized they would be on the ISS for more than a week, the routine was put into place. For the next eight months, they would work out for approximately two hours a day."

Rubio, the first astronaut to study the effects of limited gym equipment on the human body during extended missions, learned the importance of exercising.

During his time on the space station, he utilized the ISS's sole bicycle and weight-lifting machine for exercise. The research he contributed to is being applied to future crewed missions to the moon and Mars, where spacecraft have limited space for equipment such as a treadmill.

The Standard Measures study laid the groundwork for Rubio's mission, which examined the impact of space travel on the human body.

The most challenging aspect of human spaceflight is the human element: How do we maintain our health and capability to accomplish complex missions, such as returning to the moon or setting foot on Mars? Rubio pondered these questions as he worked on solutions every day. This involves not only exercise but also nutrition, sleep, and psychological training to ensure a healthy launch and maintain a cohesive team dynamic while in space.

""As we integrate testing and work on each component, we'll learn more and allow us to do really hard things," he said."

Planet Chronicle Digital’s Pilar Arias contributed to this report.