The Shawn Ryan Show #287 Butch Wilmore - He Was Stranded in Space for 286 Days
25 snips
Mar 12, 2026 
Butch Wilmore, retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy captain who logged 464 days in space, shares vivid stories from naval aviation to long-duration station life. He recounts suit and spacewalk tech, surviving off-nominal landings, and commanding Starliner’s test flight. He also talks leadership, faith, family tokens flown to orbit, and coping with 286 days stranded aboard the ISS.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Why Astronauts Practice Cold Hot And Water Survival
- Astronauts train cold, hot, and water survival because reentry or aborts can place them anywhere within ±51.6° latitude.
- Wilmore described cramped Soyuz egress, changing into survival suits, and swallowing temperature sensors during summer drills.
The Personal Mementos He Took To Space For Family
- Wilmore brought symbolic items to space for his daughters: a ring-shaped naval astronaut wings and gold wings to pass on at graduation.
- He also wore mission flags on spacewalks and kept meaningful mementos in a home safe.
First Night Combat Mission Nearly Ended By Multiple Missile Locks
- On his first night combat mission an SA-8 missile locked him; Wilmore used maneuvering and chaff to survive multiple missile engagements.
- He later realized navigational error placed him near higher threat because he accidentally selected the alternate waypoint.