Barry Wilmore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Wilmore
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Wilmore in 2009
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| Born |
Barry Eugene Wilmore
December 29, 1962 Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Other names | Butch |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Captain, USN |
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Time in space
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464 days, 8 hours, 3 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 18 (2000) |
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Total EVAs
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5 |
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Total EVA time
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31 hours, 2 minutes |
| Missions |
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Mission insignia
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Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore, born on December 29, 1962, is an American NASA astronaut and a United States Navy test pilot. He has flown to space three times. His first trip was in November 2009 on an 11-day Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
He was the pilot of the Space Shuttle Atlantis for the STS-129 mission, with five other astronauts. He also lived on the International Space Station as part of Expedition 41. On June 5, 2024, he returned to the ISS on the Boeing Crew Flight Test. This was the first time the Boeing Starliner spacecraft carried a crew. He returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Before becoming a NASA astronaut in July 2000, Wilmore was an experienced Navy test pilot. He also helped develop the T-45 Goshawk jet trainer aircraft.
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About Barry Wilmore
Barry Wilmore was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He grew up in Mount Juliet with his parents, Faye and Eugene. He has one brother who lives in Franklin, Tennessee. Barry is married to Deanna Wilmore, and they have two daughters. The Wilmore family currently lives in Houston, Texas.
Barry Wilmore is an elder at Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas.
His Education
Wilmore graduated from Mount Juliet High School in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Tech. He also has a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee. While at Tennessee Technological University, he was a member and captain of the football team.
His Military Career
Wilmore has flown for over 8,000 hours. He has landed on aircraft carriers 663 times. All of his flights were in fast jet aircraft. He also graduated from the United States Naval Test Pilot School.
During his time as a Navy pilot, Wilmore went on four missions. He flew A-7E and F/A-18 planes. He flew from the decks of large aircraft carriers like the USS Forrestal (CV-59) and USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). He flew missions during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm over Iraq. He also flew missions over Bosnia to support the United States and NATO. Wilmore completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
As a Navy test pilot, Wilmore helped develop the T-45 Goshawk jet trainer. This included testing its first carrier landings. He also taught as a "Flight Test" instructor. Before joining NASA, he was an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.
Barry Wilmore's NASA Experience
Wilmore was chosen by NASA as a pilot in July 2000. He started his training in August 2000. After two years of training, he worked on propulsion systems for the Space Shuttle. He also helped the astronaut support team at the Kennedy Space Center for launches and landings.
STS-129 Mission
In 2009, Wilmore was the pilot for the STS-129 mission. This mission went to the International Space Station.
Living on the Space Station: Expedition 41/42
Wilmore returned to space in September 2014. He was part of the Soyuz TMA-14M crew living on the International Space Station for a long time. During this mission, something amazing happened. Humans made something in space for the very first time! The ISS had a 3-D printer, built by Made In Space, Inc.. It was used to print a tool. The design for the tool was sent from Earth to the printer.
The tool was a ratchet wrench that Wilmore needed. If they hadn't printed it, he would have had to wait for the next supply ship from Earth. The wrench was later brought back to Earth for testing.
Boeing Crew Flight Test
On October 7, 2020, NASA and Boeing announced Wilmore would fly on the Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT). This was the first time the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft would carry a crew to the International Space Station. On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that Wilmore and Sunita Williams would be the two astronauts on this test flight.
On June 5, 2024, the Starliner successfully launched into orbit with Wilmore and Williams. On June 6, the Starliner docked with the ISS.
The mission was planned to last eight days. However, the spacecraft's thrusters had problems when it docked with the ISS. After months of checking, NASA decided it was too risky to bring Wilmore and Williams back on the Starliner. The Boeing Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth without a crew on September 6, 2024. It landed safely in New Mexico. Wilmore and Williams are expected to return to Earth no earlier than late March 2025. They will come back on a new SpaceX Dragon capsule.
On January 30, Williams and Wilmore were scheduled to do a spacewalk. They planned to get equipment from outside the International Space Station.
Awards and Honors
Barry Wilmore has received many awards for his service. These include:
- The Legion of Merit
- The Defense Superior Service Medal
- Two NASA Space Flight Medals
- The NASA Distinguished Service Medal
He was also named "Distinguished Naval Graduate" from Aviation Officer Candidate School. In 1991, he was the "Pilot Of The Year" for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In 2003, Barry Wilmore was added to the Tennessee Technological University "Sports Hall of Fame."
See also
In Spanish: Barry E. Wilmore para niños
