Booking Barry “Butch” Wilmore
About
From his earliest days, Barry “Butch” Wilmore was captivated by the wonder of creation—his eyes drawn upward to the heavens, inspired by a curiosity that knew no limits. That same wonder carried him across the skies and into space, where the majesty of the cosmos reflected the glory of its Creator in ways words could […]
From his earliest days, Barry “Butch” Wilmore was captivated by the wonder of creation—his eyes drawn upward to the heavens, inspired by a curiosity that knew no limits. That same wonder carried him across the skies and into space, where the majesty of the cosmos reflected the glory of its Creator in ways words could scarcely capture. Yet even as he explored beyond Earth’s bounds, Butch never lost sight of the beauty and significance of the world below.
A Tennessee native, Butch earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech before graduating from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. A U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.), he amassed over 8,000 flight hours and 663 carrier landings in tactical jet aircraft, completing four operational deployments in the A-7E and F/A-18. Selected by NASA in 2000, he went on to fly three space missions, spending a total of 464 days in orbit. He piloted the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-129) and later commanded the International Space Station during Expeditions 41/42, where he conducted four spacewalks.
Most recently, Butch commanded Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight to the ISS in June 2024. What was planned as an eight-day test flight stretched into a nine-month mission after NASA decided to return Starliner uncrewed. His steady leadership during that unexpected stay drew international attention and underscored his reputation for calm perseverance under pressure.
Butch is one of only two individuals in history to fly five different spacecraft—the Shuttle, ISS, Soyuz, Starliner, and Dragon. Known for his humility, leadership, and deep faith in Jesus Christ, he views exploration not as aimless curiosity but as a purposeful pursuit: a way of unveiling the majesty of creation and the glory of its Creator.
Butch speaks worldwide on perseverance in adversity, leadership under pressure, and the majesty of creation that points to the Creator. From combat missions to commanding spacecraft, his life shows that exploration is ultimately a pursuit of truth—revealing the vastness of creation, the glory of the One who made it, and the steady hope found in a sovereign God. His story calls others to look upward, to wonder, and to pursue knowledge—not for its own sake, but as a means of unveiling the mysteries lovingly concealed for man to search out.
Life's Emergency Procedures: A Pocket Checklist
Buy NowAwards
- The Legion of Merit, The Defense Superior Service Medal
- Five Air Medals (three with Combat ‘V’ designation), Six Navy Commendation Medals (three with Combat ‘V’ designation)
- The NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Two NASA Space Flight Medals
- Two Navy Meritorious Service Medals, Two Navy Achievement Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award (2018)
- University of Tennessee Mechanical Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering Hall of Fame Inductee (2017)
- U.S. Atlantic Fleet “Strike Fighter Aviator of the Year” (1999)
- Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic “Scott Speicher Award” for Weapons Employment Excellence (1998), United States Atlantic Fleet “Light Attack Wing One – Pilot of the Year” (1991)