CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two experienced Navy test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are set to extend their stay at the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone in their spacefaring careers. The decision was made by NASA on Saturday, opting for the astronauts to wait for a ride with SpaceX in late February instead of returning in their troubled Boeing capsule, pushing their mission to over eight months from the original eight-day itinerary.
Butch Wilmore, 61, hails from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, and has an impressive background as a Navy test pilot with over 8,000 hours of flying time and 663 aircraft carrier landings. He flew combat missions during the first Gulf War and was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2000. Wilmore has previously visited the International Space Station in 2009 and spent six months aboard the orbiting lab in 2014, conducting four spacewalks.
On the other hand, Suni Williams, 58, is the first woman to serve as a test pilot for a new spacecraft. She joined NASA in 1998 and has a diverse background, having served in a Navy helicopter squadron during the Gulf War. Williams has completed two missions to the space station, commanding one of them and performing a total of seven spacewalks. Notably, she ran the Boston Marathon on a station treadmill and competed in a triathlon during her time in space.
Both astronauts have families who are accustomed to the uncertainties of their profession. Wilmore, a married father of two, is an elder at his local Baptist church in Houston. Williams, whose husband is a retired U.S. marshal and former Naval aviator, has a widowed mother who worries about her during her space missions.
These two astronauts bring a wealth of experience and dedication to their extended mission at the International Space Station, showcasing the resilience and expertise of those who explore the final frontier.
