NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore reveals what made him survive during extended ISS stay
NASA astronaut Wilmore disclosed his secret to survive in space, stating that he was virtually connected with the Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on March 18 after spending nine unplanned months in the International Space Station. Wilmore and fellow astronaut Sunita Williams remained stuck in space for 286 days as their spacecraft suffered a technical glitch.
While the duo suffered several challenges due to their extended stay, Wilmore maintained his religious ties by regularly attending church services.
Speaking at Johnson Space Center in Houston on Monday, Wilmore disclosed his secret to survive in space, stating that he was virtually connected with the Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas.
“The Word of God continually infilling me, I need it,” Wilmore remarked.
Calling his pastors the best pastors on the planet, the astronaut mentioned it was crucial to connect and worship with his church family. "I mean, it's part of what makes me go."
Wilmore has been a member of the church for 17 years with his family and he serves as an elder there.
Wilmore offered prayers and sang Amazing Grace with others during his stay in space.
He also attended a pal's church service in Tennessee “every single week,” which according to him was “invigorating.”
Did Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams blame anyone for their extended stay?
Wilmore and Williams have been reluctant to directly blame any one entity for the error that extended their eight-day trip to prolong for nine months.
However, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, who helped bring them to Earth, alleged that the Biden administration turned down his offer to do so.
After taking over the White House, Trump vowed to bring back the astronauts with the help of Musk, but he too claimed that Wilmore and Williams remained stranded in ISS due to “political reasons”.
Responding to Trump's claims that the Biden administration “abandoned” the astronauts in space, Wilmore stated that he had “no reason not to believe anything they say because they've earned my trust.”
In a recent interview with Fox News, both astronauts reaffirmed their previous claims that they did not feel stranded, stuck, or abandoned aboard the ISS.
