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After being stranded for nine months in space, NASA's veteran astronaut Butch Wilmore is sharing how his faith in God kept him going.
In June 2024, Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams were launched into space as the first humans to ride a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The entire trip should have been 7 days but because of aircraft complications, the two were stranded on the International Space Station for nine months. Willaims and Wilmore finally came back to Earth, alongside two other astronauts, landing in the Gulf of Mexico on Mar. 18, 2025.
"My feeling about all of this goes back to my faith," said WIlmore in an interview. "It's tied to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is working out His plan and purposes for His glory through all of humanity, and how that plays out in our lives is meaningful and important."
The return flight on the SpaceX craft took 17 hours for the four astronauts to safely land in the water just off the coast of Florida.
"I was never alone. God was there, even in the darkest moments."
Wilmore, a member and elder of Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas, stayed connected with his church throughout his time in space. He even made a few calls to some elderly church members throughout his time stranded on the station, to encourage them.
While the crew had enough supplies during their extended stay in space, they faced many challenges. This included testing the boundaries of their physical and mental states.
"I understand that He works in all things, some for the good — see Hebrews Chapter 11 — and others seem not so good to us," said Wilmore. "But all things work together for His good, for all who believe."
The crew members were flown to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston after returning for routine health checks before being able to reconnect with their families.
"They will get some well-deserved time off, well-deserved time with their families," NASA's Commercial Crew Program chief Steve Stich told reporters. "It's been a long time for them."