Barry E. Wilmore
Encyclopedia
Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore (born 29 December 1962 in Murfreesboro
, Tennessee
) is a NASA
astronaut
and United States Navy
test pilot
. He has had one spaceflight
, which was an 11-day Space Shuttle
mission in November 2009, to the International Space Station
. There were five other crew members launched with him on Space Shuttle Atlantis
, for the mission called STS-129
; Wilmore was designated as pilot
.
Prior to being selected as a NASA astronaut in July 2000, Wilmore was an experienced Navy test pilot. He has over 6200 hours of flight time in tactical jet aircraft
. He also participated in the development of T-45 Goshawk trainer jet.
in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
. Wilmore has also received a Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science
degree from the Tennessee Technological University
in electrical engineering
, and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee
.
(USNTPS).
During Wilmore's tenure as a fleet Naval officer and pilot, Wilmore completed 4 operational deployments, flying the A-7E and FA-18 aircraft from the decks of the , , and aircraft carriers. He has flown missions in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Southern Watch over the skies of Iraq
, as well as missions over Bosnia in support of U. S. and NATO interests. Wilmore successfully completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm while operating from USS John F. Kennedy. Wilmore's most recent operational deployment was aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the "Blue Blasters" of Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34), an F/A-18 squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana
, Virginia
.
As a Navy Test Pilot Wilmore participated in all aspects of the initial development of the T-45
jet trainer to include initial carrier landing certification and high angle of attack flight tests. His test tour also included a stint at USNTPS as a systems and fixed wing “Flight Test” instructor. Prior to his selection to NASA, Wilmore was on exchange to the Air Force as a “Flight Test” instructor at the United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base
, California
.
in July 2000. He reported for training in August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, Wilmore was assigned technical duties representing the astronaut office on all propulsion systems issues including the Space Shuttle Main Engine
s, solid rocket motor, external tank, and also served on the astronaut support team that traveled to the Kennedy Space Center
, Florida
, in support of launch and landing operations.
mission to the International Space Station
.
, the historic final flight of the shuttle program.
, Tennessee
but was raised in Mount Juliet by his mother Faye and father Eugene. Wilmore has one sibling, a brother named Jack Wilmore, who resides in Franklin
, Tennessee. He is married to the former Miss Deanna Newport of Helenwood
, Tennessee.
“Light Attack Wing One - Pilot Of The Year” (1991) and U.S. Atlantic Fleet "Strike Fighter Aviator of the Year" (1999). Wilmore is the recipient of the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic
“Scott Speicher Award” for Weapons Employment Excellence (1998). In 2003 Barry Wilmore was inducted to the Tennessee Technological University
“Sports Hall of Fame”.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
) is a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
. He has had one spaceflight
Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
, which was an 11-day Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
mission in November 2009, to the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. There were five other crew members launched with him on Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
, for the mission called STS-129
STS-129
-Crew seat assignments:-Mission payload:-ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 and 2:The primary payload of STS-129 was the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier and the ELC-2. The mass capacity of each ELC is with a volume of 30 meters cubed...
; Wilmore was designated as pilot
Astronaut ranks and positions
Astronauts hold a variety of ranks and positions, and each of these roles carries unique responsibilities that are integral to the successful operation of a spacecraft. A spacecraft's cockpit, filled with sophisticated equipment, requires skills differing from those used to manage the scientific...
.
Prior to being selected as a NASA astronaut in July 2000, Wilmore was an experienced Navy test pilot. He has over 6200 hours of flight time in tactical jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
. He also participated in the development of T-45 Goshawk trainer jet.
Education
Barry Wilmore graduated from Mt. Juliet High SchoolMt. Juliet High School
Mount Juliet High School is located in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. The principal is Mel Brown. The high school moved from its previous building on Mt. Juliet Road to a new one located at 1800 Curd Road in Mt. Juliet on August 11, 2008....
in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Wilmore has also received a Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree from the Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
.
Military experience
Barry Wilmore has accumulated over 5900 flight hours and 663 carrier landings, all in tactical jet aircraft, and is a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot SchoolUnited States Naval Test Pilot School
The United States Naval Test Pilot School , located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test...
(USNTPS).
During Wilmore's tenure as a fleet Naval officer and pilot, Wilmore completed 4 operational deployments, flying the A-7E and FA-18 aircraft from the decks of the , , and aircraft carriers. He has flown missions in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Southern Watch over the skies of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, as well as missions over Bosnia in support of U. S. and NATO interests. Wilmore successfully completed 21 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm while operating from USS John F. Kennedy. Wilmore's most recent operational deployment was aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the "Blue Blasters" of Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34), an F/A-18 squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana or NAS Oceana is a military airport located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is a United States Navy Master Jet Base. It is also known as Apollo Soucek Field, named after Lieutenant Apollo Soucek, a Navy Test Pilot who set the global altitude record in 1930 by flying a...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
As a Navy Test Pilot Wilmore participated in all aspects of the initial development of the T-45
T-45 Goshawk
|-Avionics:Data from naval-technology.com *Smiths Industries, Ltd. AN/USN-2 Standard Attitude Heading and Reference System . Later replaced by the BAE/Marconi AN/ASN-180 Navigation Guidance System ....
jet trainer to include initial carrier landing certification and high angle of attack flight tests. His test tour also included a stint at USNTPS as a systems and fixed wing “Flight Test” instructor. Prior to his selection to NASA, Wilmore was on exchange to the Air Force as a “Flight Test” instructor at the United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
NASA experience
Wilmore was selected as a pilot by NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
in July 2000. He reported for training in August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, Wilmore was assigned technical duties representing the astronaut office on all propulsion systems issues including the Space Shuttle Main Engine
Space Shuttle main engine
The RS-25, otherwise known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine , is a reusable liquid-fuel rocket engine built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne for the Space Shuttle, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Each Space Shuttle was propelled by three SSMEs mated to one powerhead...
s, solid rocket motor, external tank, and also served on the astronaut support team that traveled to the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, in support of launch and landing operations.
STS-129
Wilmore later travelled onboard on the STS-129STS-129
-Crew seat assignments:-Mission payload:-ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 and 2:The primary payload of STS-129 was the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier and the ELC-2. The mass capacity of each ELC is with a volume of 30 meters cubed...
mission to the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
.
STS-135
Wilmore served as CAPCOM during the ascent and landing of on STS-135STS-135
STS-135 was the final mission of the American Space Shuttle program. It used the orbiter Atlantis and hardware originally processed for the STS-335 contingency mission, which was not flown. STS-135 launched on 8 July and was originally scheduled to land on 20 July 2011, but the mission was...
, the historic final flight of the shuttle program.
Personal life
Wilmore was born in MurfreesboroMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
but was raised in Mount Juliet by his mother Faye and father Eugene. Wilmore has one sibling, a brother named Jack Wilmore, who resides in Franklin
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, Tennessee. He is married to the former Miss Deanna Newport of Helenwood
Helenwood, Tennessee
Helenwood is an unincorporated community in Scott County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 846 at the 2000 census, when Helenwood was treated as an incorporated municipality. For the 2010 census, it was a census designated place with a population of 865.-History:Helenwood was platted...
, Tennessee.
Awards and honors
Barry Wilmore has received numerous medals, awards and honors. These includes the Air Medal (5), 3 with the Combat 'V' designation, the Navy Commendation Medal (6), 3 of which also hold the Combat 'V' designation, the Navy Achievement Medal (2) and numerous Unit decorations. He has also received the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) “Distinguished Naval Graduate” award. He is also on Initial Naval Flight Training “Commodores List With Distinction”. He has also won the U.S. Atlantic FleetU.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
“Light Attack Wing One - Pilot Of The Year” (1991) and U.S. Atlantic Fleet "Strike Fighter Aviator of the Year" (1999). Wilmore is the recipient of the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic
Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic
Strike Fighter Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest type wing with 18 squadrons flying more than 300 aircraft composed of six different variants of the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet...
“Scott Speicher Award” for Weapons Employment Excellence (1998). In 2003 Barry Wilmore was inducted to the Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
“Sports Hall of Fame”.