Barry E. Wilmore

Barry Wilmore
Wilmore in 2009
Born	Barry Eugene Wilmore (1962-12-29)December 29, 1962 Murfreesboro, Tennessee,U.S.
Other names	Butch
Education	Tennessee Technological University(BS,MS) University of Tennessee, Knoxville(MS)
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank	Captain,USN
Time in space	220 days, 3 hours, 30 minutes (currently in space)
Selection	NASA Group 18 (2000)
TotalEVAs	4
Total EVA time	25 hours, 36 minutes
Missions	STS-129 Soyuz TMA-14M(Expedition 41/42) Boeing Crewed Flight Test
Mission insignia

Barry Eugene"Butch"Wilmore(born December 29, 1962) is aNASAastronautandUnited States Navytest pilot.He has had threespaceflights,the first of which was an 11-daySpace Shuttlemission in November 2009, to theInternational Space Station.Wilmore was designated aspilotwith five other crew members on Space ShuttleAtlantisfor the missionSTS-129.He served as part ofExpedition 41to theInternational Space Station,and in 2024 returned to the ISS on theBoeing Crewed Flight Test,the first crewed mission of theBoeing Starliner.

Prior to being selected as a NASA astronaut in July 2000, Wilmore was an experienced Navy test pilot. He also participated in the development of theT-45 Goshawkjet trainer.

Personal life

Wilmore was born inMurfreesboro, Tennesseeand raised inMount Julietby his mother Faye and father Eugene. Wilmore has one sibling, a brother who resides inFranklin, Tennessee.He is married to Deanna Wilmore née Newport ofHelenwood, Tennessee,they have two daughters.Wilmore currently lives inHouston, Texas,with his family.

Education

Wilmore graduated fromMount Juliet High SchoolinMount Juliet, Tennessee.Wilmore has received aBachelor of Scienceand aMaster of Sciencedegree fromTennessee Techinelectrical engineering,and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from theUniversity of Tennessee.Mr. Wilmore was a member, letterman and team captain of the Tennessee Technological University football team.

Military experience

Wilmore has over 8,000 hours of flight time and 663 carrier landings, all in tacticaljet aircraft,and is a graduate of theUnited States Naval Test Pilot School(USNTPS).

During Wilmore's tenure as a fleet Naval officer and pilot, Wilmore completed four operational deployments, flying theA-7EandF/A-18aircraft from the decks of theaircraft carriersUSSForrestal(CV-59),USSJohn F. Kennedy(CV-67),USSEnterprise(CVN-65)andUSSDwight D. Eisenhower(CVN-69). He has flown missions in support ofOperations Desert Shield,Desert StormandSouthern Watchover the skies of Iraq, as well as missions overBosniain support of United States andNATOinterests. Wilmore successfully completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm while operating from USSJohn F. Kennedy.Wilmore's most recent operational deployment was aboard USSDwight D. Eisenhowerwith the "Blue Blasters" of Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34), an F/A-18 squadron based atNaval Air Station Oceana,Virginia.

As a Navy test pilot, Wilmore participated in all aspects of the initial development of theT-45jet trainer to include initial carrier landing certification and high angle of attack flight tests. His test tour also included a stint at USNTPS as a systems and fixed wing "Flight Test" instructor. Prior to his selection to NASA, Wilmore was on exchange to the Air Force as a "Flight Test" instructor at theU.S. Air Force Test Pilot SchoolatEdwards Air Force Base,California.

NASA experience

Wilmore is shown inside Node 1 of the ISS reading an instruction manual on using anIMAXcamera.

Wilmore was selected as a pilot byNASAin July 2000 and reported for training that August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, Wilmore was assigned technical duties representing the Astronaut Office on all propulsion systems issues including theSpace Shuttle Main Engines,solid rocket motor,external tank,and also served on the astronaut support team that traveled to theKennedy Space Center,Florida,in support of launch and landing operations.

STS-129

Wilmore piloted theSpace ShuttleAtlantisfor theSTS-129mission to theInternational Space Station.

Expedition 41/42

Wilmore returned to space in September 2014 as a member of theSoyuz TMA-14Mlong duration International Space Station crew.During this mission, humans manufactured off world for the first time. The International Space Station's 3-D printer, designed and built byMade In Space, Inc.,was used to print a tool with a design file transmitted from the ground to the printer. The tool was a ratchet wrench needed by Wilmore, who would have had to wait for the tool to be delivered on the next supply mission from Earth. The wrench was later returned to the ground for analysis and testing, along with the other parts printed in space.

Boeing Crewed Flight Test

On October 7, 2020, NASA and Boeing announced Wilmore would join astronautsMichael FinckeandNicole Mannfor NASA'sBoeing Crew Flight Test(CFT), the inaugural crewed flight of theCST-100 Starlinerlaunching to the International Space Station in 2021.On April 18, 2022, NASA said that it has not finalized which of the cadre of Starliner astronauts, including Wilmore, Fincke, andSunita Williams,would fly on the Crewed Flight Test mission or the firstoperational Starliner mission.On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that CFT will be a two-person flight test, consisting of Wilmore and Williams.On June 5, 2024, Starliner was launched successfully to orbit with Williams as the spacecraft's pilot. On June 6, Starliner docked to theISSafter over a day in space.

Awards and honors

Barry Wilmore has received numerous medals, awards and honors. These include theNavy Meritorious Service Medal,theAir Medal(5), 3 with theCombat "V"designation, theNavy Commendation Medal(6), 3 of which also hold the Combat "V" designation, theNavy Achievement Medal(2), and numerous Unit decorations. He has also received theAviation Officer Candidate School(AOCS) "Distinguished Naval Graduate" award. He is also on the Initial Naval Flight Training "Commodore's List With Distinction". He has also won theU.S. Atlantic Fleet"Light Attack Wing One – Pilot Of The Year" (1991) and U.S. Atlantic Fleet "Strike Fighter Aviator of the Year" (1999). Wilmore is the recipient of theStrike Fighter Wing Atlantic"Scott SpeicherAward "for Weapons Employment Excellence (1998). In 2003, Barry Wilmore was inducted to theTennessee Technological University"Sports Hall of Fame".

See also

• A Beautiful Planet– IMAX documentary film showing scenes of Earth which features Wilmore and other ISS astronauts.

External links

• NASA bio