What TN native, astronaut Barry Wilmore did with state flag that flew in space 9 months
Tennessee-native Barry 'Butch' Wilmore presented a Tennessee flag to the General Assembly in Nashville that flew during the entirety of the astronaut's recent extended stay in space.
The Mt. Juliet High School and Tennessee Tech University graduate was honored by legislators at the House floor session on April 16.
Wilmore, who now lives in Texas to be close to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, returned to Earth in March after more than nine months on the International Space Station.
'I'm proud to be a Tennessean,' Wilmore, 62, told lawmakers after the resolution to honor the astronaut was read. 'I will go to my grave as a Tennessean. There is no better state in the Union, and I've lived in several."
Wilmore also told lawmakers as he presented the flag: 'It was the only state flag that flew the whole time, the nine months I was up there.'
The mission with fellow astronaut Sunita Williams was a test flight as the first human crew for the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Initial estimates were for a one- or two-week duration. NASA contracted with Boeing to develop a second spacecraft system capable of travel to the ISS, in part to have another option if one isn't operational.
However, technical problems with the spacecraft resulted in the extended stay for Wilmore and Williams, as the Starliner returned to Earth without a crew for safety concerns. Wilmore and Williams spent a total of 286 days in space, according to NASA.
A resolution read during the session at the Capitol notes that Wilmore "did not waver despite the difficulties inherent in this mission, inspiring the country and the world through his strength and preparedness in the face of unthinkable challenges.'
Wilmore's perseverance without complaint through the mission was also recognized.
'Captain Wilmore represents the best of Tennessee, he really does,' state Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, said in his introduction to the legislators.
Wilmore's father, Eugene, and brother Jack still live in Middle Tennessee, along with a number of friends.
'Barry loves Tennessee and (is) very humbled to be recognized,' Jack Wilmore said.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Astronaut gives Tennessee flag that flew in space to state lawmakers
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
23 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
When is the strawberry moon? See peak times, cloud forecast for full moon
June welcomes a rare strawberry moon. The strawberry moon will reach its peak on Wednesday, June 11, at 3:44 a.m. ET, NASA said. However, the moon will dazzle backyard astronomers everywhere in the evening on Tuesday, June 10, as this will be the best time to see the spectacle as it rises during dusk, according to LiveScience. In areas where the weather permits, the moon will appear a shade of red or orange. Though the moon will be full, it might appear 14% smaller and 30% dimmer, a phenomenon known as a micromoon. According to NASA, this occurs when the celestial body is at its farthest point from Earth. According to the Almanac, the "strawberry moon" name derives from the Native American Algonquian tribes, who lived in the northwestern United States. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes also used the name, which marked the wild strawberries in June. Here is everything you should know about this rare moon. The full moon will be at its peak on Wednesday, June 11, at 3:44 a.m. ET. Since the moon is going to be at its peak so early during the day, the best time to see it is the evening before, on Tuesday, June 10, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. On Tuesday, June 10, some parts of the U.S. are expected to have clouds, while the majority of the country is forecast to have clear skies, according to the National Weather Service. The strawberry moon will be low in the sky, so it is best to go to a location where you can see the eastern horizon at a low angle. The moon will be one of the lowest in the sky, and the moonlight will reflect the Earth's atmosphere, giving it a yellow or orange tint. The following dates list out the rest of the expected full moons in 2025: Contributing: Janet Loehrke & Carlie Procell/ USA TODAY
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
When are are the best times to view June's strawberry moon?
A strawberry moon will dazzle skywatchers June 10-11. This year's strawberry moon will be a micromoon – which means it will appear dimmer and smaller than usual – and will be at its fullest at 3:44 a.m. ET, according to NASA. But because it's so early in the day, the best time to view the moon will be June 10, when it rises at sunset, according to LiveScience. The moon is expected to be a shade of gold rather than a vibrant shade of red like a strawberry, if weather conditions allow. The spectacle marks the last full moon before the summer solstice, when we officially say goodbye to spring. The moon also will appear about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer because it will be near its farthest point from Earth. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. According to the Almanac, the name "strawberry moon" comes from the Native American Algonquian tribes, who lived in the northwestern United States. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes also used the name, which marked the wild strawberries in June. June's full moon will be among the lowest in the sky of the year because of its low arc. Its moonlight will reflect the Earth's atmosphere, giving it a yellow or orange tint. On June 11, the full moon rises in the east shortly before sunset, which makes it the best time to see it from North America. Check the moonrise and moonset times in your location, then pick a site where you can see the eastern horizon at a low angle. You can use an online tool from The Old Farmer's Almanac to determine the local moonrise and moonset times. Try searching your city or ZIP code here. The moon takes about 29½ days to revolve around Earth, which is called a lunar cycle, according to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. As the moon moves through its various stages, it experiences several phases of partial light. These range from a banana-shaped crescent moon, a D-shaped quarter moon and a nearly full gibbous moon. There are seven full moons remaining this year; three will be supermoons. SOURCE NASA, The Old Farmer's Almanac, University of Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, USA TODAY Network and USA TODAY research This story was updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is the strawberry moon? Best times to view June's full moon
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
These are the best times to view June's strawberry moon in California
A strawberry moon will dazzle skywatchers June 11. This year's strawberry moon will be a micromoon – which means it will appear dimmer and smaller than usual – and will be at its fullest at 12:44 a.m. PT, according to NASA. But because it's so early in the day, the best time to view the moon will be June 10, when it rises at sunset, according to LiveScience. The moon is expected to be a shade of gold rather than a vibrant shade of red like a strawberry, if weather conditions allow. The spectacle marks the last full moon before the summer solstice, when we officially say goodbye to spring. The moon also will appear about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer because it will be near its farthest point from Earth. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. According to the Almanac, the name "strawberry moon" comes from the Native American Algonquian tribes, who lived in the northwestern United States. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes also used the name, which marked the wild strawberries in June. June's full moon will be among the lowest in the sky of the year because of its low arc. Its moonlight will reflect the Earth's atmosphere, giving it a yellow or orange tint. On June 11, the full moon rises in the east shortly before sunset, which makes it the best time to see it from North America. Check the moonrise and moonset times in your location, then pick a site where you can see the eastern horizon at a low angle. You can use an online tool from The Old Farmer's Almanac to determine the local moonrise and moonset times. Try searching your city or ZIP code here. The moon takes about 29½ days to revolve around Earth, which is called a lunar cycle, according to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. As the moon moves through its various stages, it experiences several phases of partial light. These range from a banana-shaped crescent moon, a D-shaped quarter moon and a nearly full gibbous moon. There are seven full moons remaining this year; three will be supermoons. SOURCE NASA, The Old Farmer's Almanac, University of Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, USA TODAY Network and USA TODAY research This story was updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is the strawberry moon? Best times to see June's full moon
