Navy test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who are currently at the International Space Station with seven others, have been informed by NASA that they will be extending their mission to more than eight months. Originally scheduled for an eight-day test flight, the astronauts will now wait for a ride with SpaceX in late February for their return trip to Earth.
Wilmore, a 61-year-old from Tennessee, has an impressive background as a Navy test pilot with more than 8,000 hours of flying time and 663 carrier landings. He has previously flown to the space station in 2009 and spent six months there in 2014, conducting four spacewalks. Suni Williams, on the other hand, is the first woman to serve as a test pilot for a new spacecraft. She has completed two missions to the International Space Station, performing seven spacewalks, running the Boston Marathon in space, and even competing in a triathlon.
Both astronauts have families who have adapted to the uncertainty and stress of their space missions. Wilmore’s family acknowledges the challenges and uncertainties of his profession, while Williams’ widowed mother admits to worrying about her “baby daughter.”
Despite the extended mission, the six NASA astronauts aboard the space station found time to celebrate the Paris Olympics by recreating a weightless torch relay and engaging in their favorite Olympic sports. Wilmore and Williams’ dedication to their missions and their exceptional achievements as Navy test pilots and astronauts continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.
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