Barry E. “Butch” Wilmore is a decorated naval aviator, test pilot, and veteran NASA astronaut with a distinguished career spanning aviation, space exploration, and public service. A native of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Wilmore has logged over 464 days in space across three missions, including commanding the International Space Station (ISS) and piloting the space shuttle Atlantis.
Wilmore’s spaceflight experience began in 2009 as pilot of STS-129, a mission that delivered critical supplies to the ISS. In 2014, he launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for Expedition 41/42, serving first as Flight Engineer and later as Commander of the ISS. During this mission, he conducted four spacewalks totaling more than 25 hours. Most recently, in 2024, he launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight and returned in 2025 aboard SpaceX Crew-9, completing his third mission and fifth spacewalk after spending 220 days in space.
Wilmore holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee Tech University, where he also played football and is a member of the TTU Sports Hall of Fame. He earned a master’s in aviation systems from UT Space Institute in 1994 and graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School. He has accumulated more than 8,000 flight hours and 663 carrier landings in tactical jets. His military service includes 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm and deployments aboard four US aircraft carriers.
Wilmore’s honors include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and multiple combat-decorated commendations. He received the NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award and UTSI’s Distinguished Alumni Award and is a member of UT’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Hall of Fame.
After a distinguished career, Wilmore announced his retirement from NASA in August 2025. He and his wife, Deanna, have two daughters, Daryn and Logan.
