Why NASA Astronaut Butch Wilmore Took Retirement After Spending Nine Months In Space?

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore has officially retired from the space agency, just months after returning from a long mission aboard Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft.

NASA confirmed his departure on Wednesday. Wilmore, 62, launched last year alongside fellow astronaut Sunita Williams for a test flight of Boeing’s Starliner. The mission was supposed to last only a week at the International Space Station (ISS), but due to technical issues with the spacecraft, the two astronauts were stranded in space for over nine months.

The Starliner capsule eventually returned empty, while Wilmore and Williams came back to Earth safely in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX spacecraft.

Wilmore, who previously retired from the US Navy, spent a total of 464 days in space across three missions. His last flight, which lasted 286 days, made up most of that time. He was first selected as a NASA astronaut in the year 2000.

“Throughout his career, Butch has exemplified the technical excellence of what is required of an astronaut,” said NASA’s chief astronaut Joe Acaba. “As he steps into this new chapter, that same dedication will no doubt continue to show in whatever he decides to do next.”

Suni Williams, 59, who also retired from the Navy, remains with NASA. She was recently seen at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, participating in a summer reading event for children alongside Second Lady Usha Vance.

Wilmore’s retirement marks the end of a remarkable journey that tested both human endurance and the future of Boeing’s role in space missions.

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