After a 25-year career, astronaut Butch Wilmore has retired from NASA, the agency announced Wednesday.
Wilmore’s departure comes just months after returning from a mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that stretched far beyond its original timeline. Wilmore, 62, along with Suni Williams were among the first two test pilots on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which launched June 5, 2024 and was supposed to last a week. Due to technical issues with the capsule, their return was delayed for more than nine months.
Wilmore’s final mission accounted for the majority of his 464 total days in space, with 286 days logged on this flight alone.
Despite public perceptions that the pair were “stranded” or “stuck,” both astronauts emphasized in interviews that they were fully prepared for an extended mission and understood the risks of piloting a new spacecraft. “Let’s change the narrative to: prepared and committed,” Wilmore told CNN earlier this year.
NASA leadership praised Wilmore’s longtime service to the space agency. “Butch’s commitment to NASA’s mission and dedication to human space exploration is truly exemplary,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “His lasting legacy of fortitude will continue to impact and inspire the Johnson workforce, future explorers, and the nation for generations. On behalf of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, we thank Butch for his service.”
It’s commendable that NASA praised Butch’s 25 year career. However what has NASA been doing to in providing oversight, and vetting of their vendors, and their management teams, to ensure quality and most important reliability and safety in their vehicles?