According to the Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Space Medicine, long durations in space can change a person's eyes, including globe flattening, optic disc edema, and vision changes. The Space-Associate Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) is a recognized condition which causes swelling in the back of the eye after a duration in space.

The fate of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who launched on the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024, has become a political issue after President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk said the astronauts' return was held up by the Biden White House.