Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are seen training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. (Photo: Robert Markowitz/NASA, via CNN Newsource)
NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore is stepping away from his spacefaring career just months after returning from an unexpected and extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA made the official announcement on Wednesday, marking the end of a notable chapter in Wilmore’s 25-year journey with the space agency.
Wilmore’s last mission, alongside fellow astronaut Suni Williams, was meant to be a short trip. The duo flew the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which had been under scrutiny and testing for years. Originally scheduled for only eight days in orbit, the mission took an unexpected turn when the spacecraft encountered multiple technical problems, including faulty thrusters and gas leaks.
As engineers on the ground tried to figure out what went wrong, both astronauts remained onboard the ISS while NASA and Boeing evaluated the risks of using the Starliner for their return trip. Ultimately, it was deemed too dangerous to bring them back using the same spacecraft. Instead, NASA decided that Wilmore and Williams would wait for the next scheduled crew rotation aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
What started as a week-long mission turned into a nine-month stay in space. Though extended stays aren’t rare — many astronauts spend six months or more on the ISS — Wilmore’s situation drew attention due to the mission’s original intent as a brief test flight.
Despite public speculation about being "stranded" or "stuck" in orbit, both Wilmore and Williams firmly rejected such narratives. Speaking to CNN’s Anderson Cooper earlier this year, Wilmore said, “That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck. We both get it. But we want to shift the story — we were prepared and committed. That’s the truth.”
NASA leadership echoed Wilmore’s resilience and praised his dedication. Steve Koerner, acting head of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said Wilmore’s example will leave a lasting impact. “His commitment to space exploration is a model for generations to come,” Koerner noted. “His legacy of strength and perseverance is truly inspirational.”
Wilmore’s retirement follows in the footsteps of other pioneering astronauts, like Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who also chose to step away after completing groundbreaking test missions — theirs with SpaceX in 2020.
A veteran of the U.S. Navy and a skilled test pilot with 21 combat missions under his belt, Wilmore joined NASA in 2000. His résumé includes three spaceflights: one aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, another via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, and his most recent return with SpaceX.
Even as he retires, Wilmore remains optimistic about Boeing’s Starliner program. Speaking at a March press conference after returning home, he confidently said, “We’ll fix the issues. And if given the chance, I’d fly it again without hesitation.”
