Astronaut Butch Wilmore’s Daughter Hints at Family’s Accountability in NASA Starliner Mission Delay
Astronaut’s Daughter Criticizes NASA Over Extended Space Station Stranding
The daughter of astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who spent nine months stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), hinted at frustration with NASA’s handling of the mission. Daryn Wilmore, 19, responded to a TikTok comment in January calling NASA “evil” by stating, “Less evil, more… incompetent.” In a February video, she cited “politics” and “negligence” as factors in her father’s delayed return.
Wilmore and crewmate Sunita Williams finally returned to Earth on June 11 via SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which originally transported them, faced thruster failures and helium leaks. The mission, initially planned for eight days, stretched into a 285-day ordeal.
[Image suggestion: Daryn Wilmore holding a pecan pie she baked for her father’s homecoming.]
Daryn later clarified her criticism, telling DailyMail.com that while there were “definitely some mess-ups,” NASA teams worked hard to prioritize safety. “The decision to keep them there was the safest one,” she said, acknowledging “wins” amid the Starliner setbacks.
Boeing’s Starliner, part of NASA’s commercial crew program, encountered issues during its June 2023 launch. After delivering Wilmore and Williams to the ISS, NASA deemed it too risky for their return. The spacecraft was sent back uncrewed in September, leaving the pair to await SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
Despite the delay, both astronauts maintained they didn’t feel “stranded,” embracing the extended research time. Their families echoed this sentiment publicly, though Daryn’s TikTok posts revealed underlying tensions. “It’s been hard… more the fact of why,” she admitted, alluding to organizational and political challenges behind the scenes.
[Image suggestion: SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule parachuting into the ocean after re-entry.]
In January, former President Donald Trump claimed he urged Elon Musk to “go get” the astronauts, accusing the Biden administration of neglecting them. This reportedly accelerated Crew-9’s return by two weeks. The capsule splashed down near Florida on June 11, with Wilmore and Williams assisted onto stretchers—standard protocol after prolonged microgravity exposure.
The astronauts underwent medical evaluations to assess impacts of space travel, while Daryn prepared a welcome-home pecan pie. Though critical of NASA’s missteps, she emphasized respect for the agency’s workforce, stating, “The people there work hard.”
[Image suggestion: Wilmore and Williams on stretchers post-landing, greeted by recovery teams.]
The incident highlights ongoing challenges in NASA’s public-private partnerships, with Boeing’s Starliner setbacks contrasting SpaceX’s reliability. As Wilmore and Williams reunite with loved ones, questions linger about accountability and the future of crewed space missions.
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