Butch Wilmore, one of NASA’s two astronauts who experienced an unexpected extended space mission, has retired from the agency less than five months after returning to Earth. NASA confirmed Wilmore’s departure on Wednesday.
Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams launched last summer aboard Boeing’s first crewed flight, which was initially planned as a weeklong visit to the International Space Station. However, the mission stretched to over nine months due to Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft malfunctioning and returning empty. Wilmore and Williams ultimately returned to Earth in March aboard a SpaceX capsule.
Wilmore, 62, had previously retired from the Navy. Williams, 59, also a retired Navy captain, remains with NASA and recently participated in a summer reading event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Selected as an astronaut in 2000, Wilmore completed three missions totaling 464 days in orbit, with his last mission alone accounting for 286 days — nearly two-thirds of his career time in space. NASA’s chief astronaut, Joe Acaba, praised Wilmore’s technical skill and dedication, expressing confidence that he will continue to excel in his next endeavors.
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