Stranded NASA astronaut struggles with how it feels to walk, lie down as Donald Trump wants Elon Musk to rescue them

One of the NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station has revealed her new personal struggle as US President Donald Trump has revealed his bold plan to rescue them.

An astronaut stranded on the International Space Station for more than eight months has opened up about the challenges of being in space for so long – including having increasing difficulty remembering what it feels like to walk.

Suni Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore have been orbiting around Earth since June last year.

In a recent call with students at Needham High School, Massachusetts, Ms Williams said she was struggling to remember what it feels like to walk and lie down, The New York Post reported, quoting CBS.

“I’ve been up here long enough right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk,” the Massachusetts native told students at her alma mater.

“I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down. You don’t have to. You can just close your eyes and float where you are right here.”

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore (R) and Suni Williams, pictured before they left in June 2024. Picture: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP

The trip was supposed last eight days, but a series of technical complications have left the pair stranded for more than eight months.

“It was a little bit of a shock actually,” Ms Williams told the students.

“We knew that it would be probably a month or so, honestly. But the extended stay was just a little bit different.”

US President Donald Trump says that Elon Musk’s company SpaceX will “soon” begin a mission to repatriate two American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station (ISS).

Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory.

However, technical problems on the spacecraft prompted NASA to change plans.

Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner. Picture: AFP

The US space agency announced in August that Boeing rival SpaceX would bring the crew home in February 2025, before their return was further postponed to late March due to SpaceX preparing a new spacecraft.

“Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, without specifying when the mission would take place.

Musk, who heavily funded Mr Trump’s election campaign, wrote earlier on X that the president had asked SpaceX to bring home the two astronauts “as soon as possible.”

US President Donald Trump says that Elon Musk’s company SpaceX will “soon” begin a mission to repatriate the two American astronauts. Picture: Getty Images via AFP

SpaceX, the private company founded by billionaire Musk, has been flying regular missions every six months to allow the rotation of ISS crews.

NASA, however, has long said the crew isn’t “stranded” and a plan to return them safely to Earth has been in place for months.

“NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical, while also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete a handover between expeditions,” NASA spokeswoman Cheryl Warner said.

Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, Don Pettit and Suni Williams aboard the International Space Station as they speak with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in January this year. Picture: AFP

In January, Wilmore and Williams said their spirits were still high despite being stranded above Earth, adding that they had plenty of food and were enjoying their time on the space station.

“We have plenty of clothes. We are well fed,” Wilmore said.

Williams added: “It’s just a great team and — no, it doesn’t feel like we’re castaways.

“Eventually we want to go home because we left our families a little while ago, but we have a lot to do while we’re up here.”

While their protracted stay is notable, it has not yet surpassed Frank Rubio’s record-breaking 371 days aboard the ISS, which he completed in 2023 after the Russian spacecraft designated for his return developed a coolant leak.