Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore (born December 29, 1962) is an American NASA astronaut and United States Navy test pilot.[1] He has had three spaceflights, the first of which was an 11-day Space Shuttle mission in November 2009, to the International Space Station. Wilmore was designated as pilot with five other crew members on Space Shuttle Atlantis for the mission STS-129. He served as part of Expedition 41 to the International Space Station, and in 2024 returned to the ISS on the Boeing Crew Flight Test, the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner. As of October 2024[update], he is in space and is set to return to Earth in 2025.
Barry Wilmore | |
|---|---|
 Wilmore in 2009 | |
| Born | Barry Eugene Wilmore December 29, 1962 Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Other names | Butch |
| Education | Tennessee Technological University (BS, MS) University of Tennessee, Knoxville (MS) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Captain, USN |
Time in space | 349 days, 11 hours, 56 minutes (currently in space) |
| Selection | NASA Group 18 (2000) |
Total EVAs | 4 |
Total EVA time | 25 hours, 36 minutes[1] |
| Missions | STS-129[2] Soyuz TMA-14M (Expedition 41/42) Boeing Crew Flight Test/SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 71/72) |
Mission insignia |       |
Prior to being selected as a NASA astronaut in July 2000, Wilmore was an experienced Navy test pilot. He also participated in the development of the T-45 Goshawk jet trainer.[1]
Personal life
editWilmore was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and raised in Mount Juliet by his mother Faye and father Eugene. Wilmore has one sibling, a brother who resides in Franklin, Tennessee. He is married to Deanna Wilmore (née Newport) of Helenwood, Tennessee, they have two daughters.[1] Wilmore currently lives in Houston, Texas, with his family.[3]
Background education
editWilmore graduated from Mount Juliet High School in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Wilmore has received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree from Tennessee Tech in electrical engineering, and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee.[1] Mr. Wilmore was a member, letterman and team captain of the Tennessee Technological University football team.
Military experience
editWilmore has over 8,000 hours of flight time and 663 carrier landings, all in tactical jet aircraft,[1] and is a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS).
During Wilmore's tenure as a fleet Naval officer and pilot, Wilmore completed four operational deployments, flying the A-7E and F/A-18 aircraft from the decks of the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). He has flown missions in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Southern Watch over the skies of Iraq, as well as missions over Bosnia in support of United States and NATO interests. Wilmore successfully completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm while operating from USS John F. Kennedy. Wilmore's most recent operational deployment was aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the "Blue Blasters" of Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34), an F/A-18 squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.[1]
As a Navy test pilot, Wilmore participated in all aspects of the initial development of the T-45 jet trainer to include initial carrier landing certification and high angle of attack flight tests. His test tour also included a stint at USNTPS as a systems and fixed wing "Flight Test" instructor. Prior to his selection to NASA, Wilmore was on exchange to the Air Force as a "Flight Test" instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.[1]
NASA experience
edit
Wilmore was selected as a pilot by NASA in July 2000 and reported for training that August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, Wilmore was assigned technical duties representing the Astronaut Office on all propulsion systems issues including the Space Shuttle Main Engines, solid rocket motor, external tank, and also served on the astronaut support team that traveled to the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in support of launch and landing operations.[1]
STS-129
editIn 2009, Wilmore piloted the Space Shuttle Atlantis for the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station.[4]
Expedition 41/42
editWilmore returned to space in September 2014 as a member of the Soyuz TMA-14M long duration International Space Station crew.[5] During this mission, humans manufactured off world for the first time. The International Space Station's 3-D printer, designed and built by Made In Space, Inc., was used to print a tool with a design file transmitted from the ground to the printer. The tool was a ratchet wrench needed by Wilmore, who would have had to wait for the tool to be delivered on the next supply mission from Earth. The wrench was later returned to the ground for analysis and testing, along with the other parts printed in space.
Boeing Crew Flight Test
editOn October 7, 2020, NASA and Boeing announced Wilmore would join astronauts Michael Fincke and Nicole Mann for NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), the inaugural crewed flight of the CST-100 Starliner launching to the International Space Station in 2021.[6] On April 18, 2022, NASA said that it has not finalized which of the cadre of Starliner astronauts, including Wilmore, Fincke, and Sunita Williams, would fly on the Crewed Flight Test mission or the first operational Starliner mission.[7] On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that CFT will be a two-person flight test, consisting of Wilmore and Williams.[8] On June 5, 2024, Starliner was launched successfully to orbit with Williams as the spacecraft's pilot. On June 6, Starliner docked to the ISS after over a day in space.[9]
The mission was meant to last eight days, ending with a landing in the southwestern United States on June 14. However, the capsule's thrusters malfunctioned as Starliner docked with the ISS. Despite months of testing, NASA felt it was not able to understand why the thrusters malfunctioned and decided that it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner. Instead, they will ride down on the SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon capsule. The Boeing Starliner spacecraft returned uncrewed on September 6, 2024, and landed intact at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico at 12:01 a.m., September 7, after three months in space docked to the ISS.
Awards and honors
editBarry Wilmore has received numerous medals, awards and honors. These include the Navy Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal (5), 3 with the Combat "V" designation, the Navy Commendation Medal (6), 3 of which also hold the Combat "V" designation, the Navy Achievement Medal (2), and numerous Unit decorations. He has also received the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) "Distinguished Naval Graduate" award. He is also on the Initial Naval Flight Training "Commodore's List With Distinction". He has also won the U.S. Atlantic Fleet "Light Attack Wing One – Pilot Of The Year" (1991) and U.S. Atlantic Fleet "Strike Fighter Aviator of the Year" (1999). Wilmore is the recipient of the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic "Scott Speicher Award" for Weapons Employment Excellence (1998). In 2003, Barry Wilmore was inducted to the Tennessee Technological University "Sports Hall of Fame".[1]
See also
edit
- A Beautiful Planet – IMAX documentary film showing scenes of Earth which features Wilmore and other ISS astronauts.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Astronaut Bio: Barry E. Wilmore" (PDF). NASA. January 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Hodges, Jim (October 1, 2008). "Melvin Will Get Another Flight Into Space". NASA. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2008. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Former Golden Eagle Barry Wilmore serves as "capcom" on final shuttle launch". TTU Sports. July 8, 2011.
- ^ "NASA Announces Change for Return of Station Crew Members". NASA. March 3, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Expedition 41 Welcomes New Trio Aboard Station The Black Sheep". NASA. Retrieved September 26, 2014. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "NASA, Boeing Announce Crew Changes for Starliner Crew Flight Test". NASA. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "Starliner astronauts eager to see results of crew capsule test flight – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ Potter, Sean (June 16, 2022). "NASA Updates Astronaut Assignments for Boeing Starliner Test Flight". NASA. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ Axios (June 5, 2024). "Boeing's Starliner reaches orbit in first crewed mission to ISS". axios.com.
External links
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