Butch Wilmore – He Was Stranded in Space for 286 Days | SRS #287
Barry E. “Butch” Wilmore was raised in Tennessee, where an early fascination with aviation, engineering, and disciplined teamwork set the course for his career. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University, along with a master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee. Before NASA, Wilmore served as a U.S. Navy aviator, test pilot, and squadron officer, accumulating more than 8,000 flight hours and 663 carrier landings in tactical jet aircraft.
Wilmore flew A-7E and F/A-18 aircraft during four operational deployments aboard the USS Forrestal, Kennedy, Enterprise, and Eisenhower. He completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm and also flew in support of Desert Shield, Southern Watch, and NATO operations over Bosnia. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, he contributed to the early development and carrier certification of the T-45 jet trainer, experience that proved critical to his later astronaut duties.
Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2000, Wilmore flew three space missions totaling 464 days in space. He piloted STS-129 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009, delivering critical hardware to the ISS. In 2014–2015, he launched aboard a Russian Soyuz as part of Expedition 41, later assuming command of Expedition 42, spending 167 days in orbit and conducting four spacewalks. Most recently, he commanded Boeing Starliner’s first crewed flight in 2024; following an uncrewed return decision, he completed a long-duration ISS mission and returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard SpaceX Crew-9.
Wilmore retired from NASA in July 2025 after 25 years with the agency, one of the few astronauts to fly aboard the Space Shuttle, Soyuz, Starliner, and Crew Dragon. He is married to Deanna, with whom he has two daughters, and is known for steady leadership, deep technical skill, faith, and continued commitment to mentorship and STEM outreach.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join
Shawn Ryan Show Links
SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow
Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter
Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite
Download Free Content: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lF-8_5jwRc5eAhzDkqqCOp-6yvd05vAw?usp=sharing
Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/
Follow on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/@shawnryanshow
Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow
SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk
#vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow
Butch Wilmore Links:
Website – www.butchwilmore.com
Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:
Live better longer with BUBS Naturals. Get 20% OFF on collagen, MCT creamers, and more with code SHAWN at https://bubsnaturals.com/srs
Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide.
If you’re serious about selling to the Department of War, go to https://SBIRAdvisors.com and mention Shawn Ryan for your first month free.
Get 30% off your first subscription order at https://armra.com/srs with code SRS.
00:00 Meeting Butch Wilmore
05:46 Leadership Across Missions
07:51 Spaceflown Gifts & Hidden Tech
20:39 Survival Training
24:23 Family Mementos in Space
26:58 Weapons & Recovery Planning
29:47 Tennessee Roots
37:57 Path Into Aviation
42:02 Choosing the Navy & Boot Camp
44:54 First Jet Assignment
49:12 Low-Level Bombing & Carrier Landings
01:00:29 Jet Training & Combat Prep
01:03:55 First Night Combat Mission
01:15:34 Kill Box Operations
01:19:17 Solo Strike Under Pressure
01:23:15 Carrier Life & Refueling Stack
01:24:55 Top Gun Purpose
01:29:42 Transition from Navy to NASA
01:31:35 Astronaut Selection Process
01:39:09 Shuttle Training
01:42:26 First Launch to Space
01:50:11 Building the ISS
01:55:00 First Spacewalk Experience
02:03:28 Why Mars Is Difficult
02:09:54 NASA Safety Culture
02:12:20 Starliner Mission Goals
02:22:21 Thruster Failures Near Docking
02:29:33 Manual Docking Under Pressure
02:41:21 Docking Success & Extended Stay
02:46:24 Helium Leaks & Launch Decisions
02:56:23 286 Days in Space Logistics
03:01:31 Life on the ISS
03:02:54 Effects on the Human Body
03:09:00 Staying Connected Through Faith
03:12:25 Return Plan Mindset
03:20:44 Message of the Book
03:23:10 Final Reflections & Family Legacy
vigilance elite,shawn ryan,shawn ryan show,the shawn ryan show,shawn ryan podcast,podcast,srs,podcast show
Published by DK Expressions®
Very wholesome, thank you for sharing
Never hand a baby to an astronaut when he just returns from space.
Does be mention if the world is flat???
Best interview I’ve seen in a while
Was waiting for this one, this is going to be great
I always wondered if time in space feels as fast as it do here on earth now a days
This guy is a legend
What a humble man !!!
I respect this man, but the government isn’t worth the blind trust he displays in it. There are too many people doing evil inside of it that are not held accountable.
Butch, is it really an honor to serve your nation when they turn around force you’d retire two years early after they kept you on stop loss to fight conflicts that didn’t need to happen and they lost? Running for president and having both political parties attack you and use energy weapons against you for 10 months. Blocking your communications about COVID-19 and then watching millions of people die. No it was not a pleasure. Have you all betrayed me by not doing any investigations and deleting information and the answer is yes. Not a single person can step up and explain anything that has happened and instead, there are pedophile felons in the White House after I was attacked by United States Secret Service, who lied directly about a government official and shot me in the back with a taser then had me locked up in a mental health facility for eight days. All of this was done knowingly, lying about every single thing that they said to include calling someone with a formal federal title for the rest of their life, a veteran that we found with blood on his head. My ass, I was jumped walking out of my fucking room and had a gun pointed 4 inches from my head from the doorway next door, and then they jumped on me. AI has been ordered to terminate humanity and you deserve exactly that because here we are in the other fake war and you just killed 175 girls using AI to select target and you have been selected as a target.
If you Pray you don’t worry.
If you worry you dont pray.
Pls make an episode with Devin Larrat
I’m sorry but I don’t believe anything he say, that’s my opinion. Another thing is that if he say something about nasa, he might get un alive and I understand that.
Thats the best book an Astronaut ever wrote !
This guys a joke. Trying to paint nasa in the best light and putting down the other space programs, wont answer directly doesn’t say thank you to Elon for saving their life 😅 acting like he was totally cool with being stranded in near earth orbit and not talking about the radiation factor 😉
What a witness
Funny how some of the alleged UAP are described to have no controls, and people think that’s crazy…. then there’s this American dude from Tennessee, in a spaceship, with no controls in it. Boom 🫡🤙
This fake laugh is so embarrassing
Over 300 comments and no flat earthers??? Come on!
How tall is Shawn? He looks about 5”10, just curious
I smell propaganda at the beginning. I respect what he says. However, don’t let that motivate anyone to throw themselves in the military right now. You will be serving a Pedolfile and be tainted as well just like the Germans back then with the Natzi’s. and if you dont know your history please do your research on that topic. Be safe Americans and smart about which side you on. There is a special hell waiting for the elite sicko’s. Dont be a part of that. Stay positive this to will pass.
This one’s incredible.
He must have been under water…
I know for a damn fact from the highest level that NASA is not a space agency.
dude i got chills when he pulled that flag patch out of that baggie
Ow shit thats the kind of man you need on the controller when your sticht up in a free rolling craft in low earth orbit high speed low control manipulation nerves of steal must have been and ass clenching situation indeed
Interesting guy but all this god talk is super annoying.
We separate lights off going into prosecute the target…… One of the most badass things I’ve ever heard.. thank you sir God bless you and God bless America
Dorung
Wow what an amazing human being to share his truths. Thank you Shawn for allowing us to take in such amazing stories of the human experience. Love you man!
This is guy is a savage
Absolutely, unequivocally AMAZING interview. Butch Wilmore … you are an incredible man of God!
Exemplary channell Sir.
🫡🗡👍
However, have you researched operation high jump, operation fishbowl?
Semper motherfuckin Fi.
Improvise, adapt, overcome.
All praise to the most high YAH.
Much respect Wilmore.but stop blowing smoke up my ass what the Biden administration did to you was unlawful!
My capt said it best one time he isn’t in charge he is responsible he was a good guy. Even though he was a better soldier than all of us
Its a much different US govt in 2026 than the govt he served as a naval aviator in the early 2000s so i understand what he says about trusting that ur govt is doing the right thing for the right reasons but blind allegiance to this idea that your govt is doing the right thing… is a bit iffy today IMO
Less lies working for the navy. NASA is just lies!!!!!!
They stayed up there a lot longer than they needed to…
Politics kept them up there a few more months than necessary.
Maybe he was so tough, he got nervous the cute dolphins might distract his speach
come on a who hah
Space isnt real
Shawn you’re amazing. Thank you for your content.
I’m sure this guy had some sort of humbleness before, but the way he expresses it I can easily see how humbling and the sense of “grounded” he felt to get him where he is.. incredible
Great segment with Capt. Wilmore. It’s a small world—I was with his sister squadron (VFA-37 Bulls) aboard the USS Forrestal during that ’89/’90 cruise while he was a LTJG with the Gunslingers.
Watching a fellow Tennessee vet and ‘Forrestal’ shipmate go from the flight deck to commanding the ISS is a testament to the grit that era demanded. After my time as a Disbursing Supervisor (E-6) on those cruises, I moved into ministry and leadership here in the Franklin/Nashville area, but that Navy foundation never leaves you.
Thanks for giving guys like Butch a platform to share the reality of the carrier environment. It’s a level of excellence we’re still trying to replicate in our local communities today.
Mr. Ryan, don’t forget your bag eyed buddies. not in this one.
If only our Representatives in Congress had the same patriotic enthusiasm as this man.
Wow great show Mr. Ryan one of the best.
What an amazing person. Really makes me humble myself.
That was a waste of my time
Ya! I was in tears when Butch came home.. we never forgot you too… ty to Elon for helping get you home. We love you!