Recent photo of NASA’s astronauts stuck in space since June sparks wild speculation on social media

HOUSTON – A festive holiday portrait taken aboard the International Space Station has social media buzzing — but not for the reasons NASA might have expected.

In the photo, astronauts Don Pettit and Suni Williams are seen posing inside the Columbus laboratory module, sporting wide smiles despite being months into their extended space mission.

But eagle-eyed internet users quickly honed in on Williams’ appearance, sparking a whirlwind of comments comparing her current look to photos from earlier in the year.

NASA announced that the duo’s mission, originally slated for just over a week, has now stretched to nearly 10 months due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

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Pettit and Williams won’t return to Earth until spring, according to the Associated Press.

The unexpected extension has social media users speculating about the toll of space travel — or maybe just the absence of earthly comforts like hair dye and salon visits.

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Here’s what people are saying:

🔭 “They are getting pretty skinny! Praying for their safety!” - Tammy S on X

💫 “They look like they are in very bad shape... in need of being evacuated ASAP.” - Claudine Zeitoun on X

👩‍🚀 “All she did was run out of hair dye lol.” - Yourstrulyendire on Instagram

🪐 “She was just dying the gray… and using age cream….y’all funny she looks the same.” - Pisces4lifeatl on Instagram

🚀 “6 months of no sunlight will do that to you.” - Ch1lllmatic on Instagram

🧑‍🔬 “Just a woman with no makeup, sun or hair dye. Sheesh give her a break!” - Danielle_milian on Instagram

Whether it’s space-induced stress or simply the lack of earthly luxuries, one thing’s for sure: space travel isn’t just rocket science — it’s a real-life endurance test.