Why does UAE astronaut Hazzaa look puffy in space?

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Hazzaa AlMansoori, UAE astronaut, microgravity, Hazza, Roscosmos, MBR space centre, international space station, ISS

Baikonur, Kazakhstan - Astronauts are unable to walk, turn or focus their vision properly once they return to Earth as their brains re-adapt to gravity.

By Sarwat Nasir

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Published: Wed 2 Oct 2019, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Thu 3 Oct 2019, 9:10 AM

The puffiness of UAE astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori's face is the result of 'space face', a condition where microgravity causes fluids in the body to be redistributed to the extremities and is not an unusual occurrence while in space.

His chubbier cheeks and swelled up nose were noticeable since he entered through the hatch and into the International Space Station (ISS) on September 26.

Recent photos of him wearing the traditional Emirati attire also raised questions as to why he looked so different as compared to while on Earth. It's been a week since he's been living on the ISS and he will be returning to Earth on October 3, at 2.59pm UAE time.

Salem Al Marri, the head of the UAE astronaut programme, told Khaleej Times: "We call it space face. It is a normal condition for astronauts who travel to space. The fluids in their bodies, water and blood, are being redistributed. If you see photos of other astronauts who have been to space for the first time, or even more than once, you can see something similar."

"He is healthy, though. We have been monitoring his health and we've been having communication with him everyday, several times a day."

Astronauts and cosmonauts onboard are required to exercise for two hours daily using cycle ergometer and treadmills to minimise large muscle atrophies.

The bodily fluid redistribution stabilises once the astronauts re-enter gravity. However, they are unable to walk, turn or focus their vision properly as their brains re-adapt to gravity.


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