NASA Astronaut Butch Wilmore Retires 4 Months After Return From Space

by

Butch Wilmore is clocking out for good. 

After spending four months back on Earth following their nine-month-extended space mission, NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, now 62, announced her retirement officially.

In a press release on August 6th, NASA announced that after spending 25 years with the organization, flying in four distinct spacecraft and clocking up a total of 464 days in space, astronaut and test pilot Butch Wilmore decided to retire.

Essentially, over the past year, most of Butch’s time spent in space was accrued. This was due to him and Suni staying at the International Space Station for 286 days after their spacecraft from Earth encountered an issue.

Subsequently, the acting head of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Steve Koerner, commended Butch’s work for the organization as “outstanding.

In his own words, the indelible mark of Butch’s unyielding spirit will persistently influence and motivate the Johnson workforce, aspiring adventurers, and the nation for many years to come.

The milestone also gave Butch an opportunity to reflect on his career. 

Since my childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the wonders of nature, always gazing upwards with a keen interest that never waned. This curiosity led me on a journey into the skies and eventually to space, where the cosmos reflected the grandeur of its creator in ways that language struggles to express. (Butch’s words in the release)

But the former NASA astronaut admitted that life is just as beautiful with his feet on the ground. 

As I journeyed beyond Earth, I didn’t lose sight of its charm and importance. I realized that the complex patterns I saw among the stars were mirrored in the very essence of life on our planet,” Butch said.

Regarding Butch’s last mission, which occurred unexpectedly, neither he nor Suni showed significant signs of annoyance or irritation about their extended stay in space.

“It’s work,” Butch told the New York Times back in March. “It’s wonderful enjoyment. It’s fun.”

He stated, ‘Our line of work isn’t a walk in the park. In fact, it’s quite challenging. Space travel for humans can be demanding, and occasionally, we encounter unforeseen circumstances – which is exactly what happened to us.’

For more on Butch’s last dance, keep reading…

As a dedicated follower of space exploration, I embarked on an incredible journey aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft alongside Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on June 5, 2024. Our mission was to spend eight days at the International Space Station. Soon after our launch, we encountered a “stable and isolated leak” within our propulsion system, as reported by the Associated Press.

During their journey to the International Space Station, a pre-existing leak remained stationary, but four new leaks surfaced and five thrusters malfunctioned. Despite these setbacks, they managed to securely connect with the ISS, anticipating that their mission might extend beyond the usual eight days.

Approximately two months following a flawed launch, NASA acknowledged the predicament of two astronauts stranded in orbit. At that point, NASA was still assessing whether the Starliner spacecraft would be ready for another mission. Simultaneously, Boeing asserted that the Starliner should have been fit for reentry, expressing to TopMob News in a statement, “Should NASA opt for a change in mission, we stand prepared to adjust the Starliner’s configuration for an uncrewed journey back.

During the situation with Wilmore and Williams, NASA’s former official, Scott Hubbard, reassured the public, explaining to the Associated Press that although the astronauts were “somewhat immobilized,” they possessed an abundance of resources and tasks at hand. He emphasized that they were far from being in a critical predicament.

Instead of focusing on repairing the Starliner, I couldn’t help but rejoice when NASA announced that my beloved astronauts, Williams and Wilmore, would be back on Earth via a SpaceX mission somewhere between February and March. It was their families who decided to share their excitement with the world.

Deanna Wilmore, Wilmore’s spouse, shared with WVLT in August that their situation required flexibility, stating, “You just need to adapt and be ready for anything unforeseen.

Simultaneously, Williams’ spouse, Michael, expressed his belief that she wouldn’t find space uncomfortable. He shared this sentiment with The Wall Street Journal, stating, “That’s where she’s most content.

As they were about to complete six months in space, Williams and Wilmore discussed their unique Thanksgiving celebrations on the International Space Station.

Williams shared with NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt from the ISS on Nov 27 that they had prepared a selection of Thanksgiving-style dishes. These included smoked turkey, cranberry sauce, apple cobbler, green beans and mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.

Williams further emphasized that both she and Wilmore were thriving during their prolonged space voyage.

She reassured everyone by saying, ‘Rest assured, we’re not concerned.’ In fact, we’re staying active, maintaining our diets, and having a blast up here.

Following six months of joyous space exploration, NASA announced that the astronauts might remain in orbit longer than initially anticipated. Initially, it was planned for the pair to return in February; however, delays in the SpaceX mission responsible for their retrieval caused their stay to be prolonged until March or April, as stated by NASA at the time.

In February, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Williams and Wilmore had been left stranded in space during their originally planned eight-day mission, which had extended to eight months. However, after Trump’s attention-grabbing statement, the astronauts refuted the president’s assertion.

In a February 13th interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN, Wilmore emphasized that they do not feel deserted. Instead, they feel ready and dedicated, neither feeling stuck nor stranded.

Williams interjected during the interview that the pair were “doing pretty darn good, actually.”

We’re well-supplied with food and clothing, our team is outstanding, and we’re all doing great up here,” she added. “Admittedly, our stay was a bit longer than planned, but given that we’re both prepared to live and work on the International Space Station, I believe we’ve managed to make the best of the situation.

In the course of the interview, it was verified that Wilmore and Williams would be coming back to Earth when SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch on March 12.

Wilmore clarified that they would arrive, meet up, and connect here. For approximately a week, we’ll exchange duties starting from this point. We expect to be back around March 19th.

A few days prior to her father’s scheduled homecoming, Daryn Wilmore, Wilmore’s daughter, expressed her thoughts on her father’s space journey and the frustrations surrounding his delayed return to Earth.

In her interview with the Daily Mail on March 6, she expressed that the situation was mentally taxing due to numerous problems and oversights, which have led to repeated delays.

Daryn shared that her father was feeling a bit down on the International Space Station, yet overall he was doing fine. She also mentioned that her father is incredibly strong and adaptable.

Following a nine-month sojourn in space, Wilmore and Williams landed back on Earth safely on March 18. Upon splashing down near Florida’s coast, NASA astronaut Wilmore, along with his fellow crew members Nick Hague (also from NASA) and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, were carefully taken off the spacecraft on stretchers due to the customary protocol for space travelers who usually cannot walk immediately upon their return.

According to the former NASA senior scientist John DeWitt, many people are reluctant about being transported on a stretcher, but they’re informed that it’s necessary.

Daryn, Wilmore’s daughter, shared some details about what the astronauts might do during their initial days upon returning to Earth.

She mentioned in a TikTok video posted on March 18 that he will be undergoing tests for the next few days since they are still part of the ongoing human space flight experiment. He will also get used to being back on Earth, as life here is quite different from what it’s been for the past nine months due to his time in space.

Upon their return to Earth after spending eight additional months in space, there was discussion about whether the astronauts would receive any compensation for working overtime, facilitated by NASA.

During their time on the International Space Station, NASA’s astronauts earn standard weekly wages equivalent to a 40-hour work week, as confirmed by NASA in a statement. They do not receive any additional compensation for extra hours worked or holidays and weekends off.

What does a typical 40-hour work week earnings for an astronaut amount to? It can range from approximately $84,365 to $152,258 based on the U.S. government’s pay scale for GS-11 to GS-14 positions.

Upon his long-awaited return home, Daryn, the daughter, expressed her joy upon reunion with her father, affectionately known as Butch.

The college student mentioned on TikTok that they were preparing their partner’s preferred dessert – pecan pie. They also shared a list of their loved one’s favorite things and cherished memories they had together, planning to revisit these experiences during the upcoming days when their partner visits before the student returns to school, or in the following months when their partner is back.

Read More

2025-08-07 15:47