NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore has retired after a nine-month space mission, ending a 25-year career. He spent 464 days in space and flew on four different spacecraft.
In June 2024, Wilmore and his colleague Suni Williams traveled to the International Space Station aboard the Starliner capsule. The mission was initially planned for eight days, but due to technical problems, they stayed on the station for nine months. Eventually, they returned to Earth on a SpaceX spacecraft.
NASA leadership praised Wilmore’s dedicated service. His resilience and professionalism were highlighted as a source of inspiration for future generations.
Wilmore retired at the age of 62, nearly 20 years older than the typical astronaut selection age. He joined NASA in 2000.
In his final statement, he said: “My curiosity for space drove me forward, but I never forgot the beauty and importance of Earth.” Even in retirement, he will continue to participate in research on the health effects of spaceflight.
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