An eight day space mission turned into a nine-and-a-half month challenge for veteran military test pilot and astronaut Barry 'Butch' Wilmore. In 2024, he commanded the first crewed mission of Boeing's Starliner project. While attempting to dock with the International Space Station, the capsule developed severe thruster issues. Wilmore was finally able to dock, but knew he and fellow astronaut Sunita Williams would not be able to return to earth as planned. And NASA agreed. It would be the next year when a SpaceX Dragon brought them home.
Butch's strong faith in Christ kept him steady while he was 'stuck in space.' That's also the name of a new book Butch has written, though he emphasizes because of Jesus he was really not 'stuck.' "So, the publisher titled It Stuck in Space. That's what we were known for. So, it seems like an appropriate title. Though, because I know scripture, I wasn't stuck. Nobody gets stuck anywhere if you know the Lord. You may feel like you're stuck in life situations, but the Lord, like I said earlier, is working out his plan and his purposes for his glory and our good, ultimately, if we believe. And so any situation you're in, you're not stuck. The Lord has placed you there to learn."
What was it like for those nine-and-a-half months?
"I would say that through it all, because my foundation is not in what I have or what I do, my foundation is in the Lord. It's in God's word. And his word is true. I know it to be true. It's absolutely true. And therefore, I believe it when I read it. And just like Paul said he was content because he knew he was in the middle where the Lord's will would have him, even during very difficult things that occurred in his life, I felt the same way. I felt content. Even through the unknown and the extension and uncertainties that came along with it, still content through it all because I know the Lord is working out his plan and his purpose for his glory. And that's a foundational truth of scripture. He is sovereign. He works providentially in all of our lives. And that being a foundational truth of scripture, then that brings contentment."
Family Matters
"It's hard to say it wasn't a downer. It was. It was a change of pace. It was things at home that we planned, we obviously couldn't do, but that's part of the business that I've been in since I started because I've done nothing but military and NASA since I left college. And I've been extended on deployment. I've had things change, plans change. When you work for the government in that fashion, that's just part of life. And this was no different than that. So my family, though it was a change, it was something that we talk about and prepare ourselves mentally for these things in life that happen. And they came through it very well. I'm very proud of my daughters and how they handled it all."
A Church Elder in Space
And I understand that you are an elder in your church in Tennessee and that you had some interaction not only with your family, but with your church community.
"I did. As an elder, you're a shepherd, right? You're supposed to shepherd the flock. That is hard to do from space, but as much as the communication path allowed it, I did call several of our members, some of them that were struggling with personal losses and also sickness and those type of things. I tried to tie (connect) and let them know that I was praying for them, even though not physically there, but spiritually there for them. And so I tried to maintain that interaction as much as I possibly could. And again, being unexpectedly deterred elsewhere, so to speak. But that's part of it. That's part of it. Elders, we're on the phone, we're visiting, we're doing those things. That's just part of what shepherding is. And when you can't physically visit, you can do it with a phone call or a video call. I was grateful for those capabilities."
In our complete podcast interview with Butch Wilmore, just below, he shares his deep faith and trust in Christ. "It's given me a unique perspective of my Lord and his creative power, not just creative power, but his sustaining power."
One Tasty Thing
We suppose you ate pretty well in space, sufficient food and so forth. But when you got back to earth, did you have any craving, anything you just had to have?
"I don't think I've told this, but I'll share it with you. That covers that satellite coverage we have, we could actually tie into television. I don't watch much television, but I did catch a commercial. What was it? It was a Chick-fil-A sandwich that had jalapenos and pimento cheese on chicken. And I thought, 'Wow, that looks good.' We got extended, and I think they stopped making those in November of 2024, but my brother and my wife bought some and froze them. So when I got back, I tasted that rascal. It was pretty good too. It was just as good as it looked on television. That wasn't something I craved, but it was something I thought would be interesting to try. And it was, like I said, it was really good!"
Stuck in Space
How to find the book by Butch Wilmore
Closing Thought
A U.S. Navy Captain, a test pilot, and veteran of combat missions, Butch, a Tennesseean, became a NASA astronaut in 2000. He shares that NASA rejected him initially. "I mean, they turned me down several times, but eventually I wore them down and they did eventually take me, obviously." You were persistent? "Exactly right. Persistent is the key."
