**Update: After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, as of March 19th, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally back on Earth! Their mission was supposed to be a quick trip, but technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule kept them at the International Space Station way longer than planned.
Despite the hiccups, both astronauts said they’d fly on Starliner again—though they admitted that better communication could have helped avoid some of the problems.
Now, NASA is running extra tests to make sure everything’s good to go, with hopes of getting Starliner ready for more astronaut missions by the end of the year. But what’s even more expiring is that despite spending 278 days more than planned when they blasted off, they never missed a Sunday at church.
@foxnewsRescued NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore says watching Sunday service from the International Space Station was “vital” to keeping him going while he was stranded in space for nine months.♬ original sound – Fox News
🚀 Stuck in space, singing “Amazing Grace.” 🚀
A Houston-area church took a moment to pray for two members who could not be there. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Tracy Dyson are not going to show up at Providence Baptist Church this Sunday. Because, they’re NASA astronauts in space, orbiting the planet.
Barry Wilmore and his fellow NASA test pilot, Suni Williams, should have been back weeks ago. Now, they are not expected to return until February 2025.
With Wilmore’s mission delayed, his pastor Tommy Dahn claims the congregation’s worries have subsided for now since they are safe aboard the space station.
It’s the launch and returns that really elevate their anxiety… and prayers.
NASA claims they are staying longer than expected due to thruster failures and helium leaks on Boeing’s inaugural crew flight for its Starliner capsule. Wilmore and Williams have said they are confident the capsule will return them home safely, but engineers are still poring over Starliner test data.
Barry Wilmore paused before boarding the Starliner on each launch attempt, huddling in prayer with technicians and Williams. He acknowledged the risks of spaceflight — especially on a test flight like his.
After Wilmore arrived at the space station in early June, he and Tracy Dyson appeared live via video at a Providence Baptist Sunday service and gave the congregation a tour of the station. Wilmore taught a lesson before he and others aboard the space station led the congregation in singing “Amazing Grace.”
“Our families have been a part of this from the beginning. … As far as preparing them, they’re prepared. We trust in a sovereign God. Whatever the plan is, we’re ready for it, whatever that might be.” | Barry “Butch” Wilmore
Wilmore and Dyson are not the first to take their faith out of this world. The three astronauts aboard Apollo 8 broadcasted their reading from Genesis on Christmas Eve as they flew around the moon, starting with “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth.”
“Barry, he ministers to us,” Tommy Dahn said, noting how Wilmore makes encouraging calls to congregants while in space. It’s pretty awesome that he can connect with his church and minister to others when he’s literally not even in the same atmosphere.
Barry’s wife Deanna shares that her husband’s faith that God is in control gives their family great peace.
“We’re not saying this means that nothing bad will happen or the Starliner will bring Barry home safely, but whatever the Lord does, will be for our good and for His glory, even if they don’t fully understand it.” | Deanna Wilmore
Information from: AP News, Holly Meyer
Isn’t it incredible that these astronauts can stay connected with their church families and be supported by them while they travel around the planet? That is powerful. It is crazy to have complete peace in a literal life-or-death mission delay. But to Barry, it’s not rocket science to trust in God.
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Hope Nation, I love you guys and the content you produce! As a NASA flight controller I’d like to clarify some of your article above. The beginning of your article unfortunately fell into some misinformation that has been circling in the media. NASA said that there are many possibilities for getting Butch and Suni home safe…some soon on Boeing Starliner and others as late as Feb 2025 on a SpaceX Dragon. So while their mission has lasted longer than anticipated due to the issues you list above, they still could come home soon or as late as Feb 2025. As… Read more »
Loved the article regarding the astronauts! God is in control whether on Earth or in space!!