After nine months stranded on the International Space Station, Captain Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Captain Suni Williams have returned safely to Earth after being retrieved by the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
The astronauts’ homegoing was intended to be a mere eight to ten days following their arrival in June 2024. However, after several malfunctions with the Boeing Starliner capsule were discovered, reentry to Earth became impossible.
The situation became even more dire after crossing the six-month mark, which is the maximum time astronauts are able to remain on the Space Station without significant health risks, including loss of bone density. As months passed, SpaceX reportedly urged then-President Joe Biden to allow their crews to recover the astronauts. CEO Elon Musk stated their offer was flatly rejected by the Administration, adding in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the astronauts “were left up there for political reasons.”
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump gave Musk the go-ahead to send their SpaceX crew on the rescue mission, which successfully returned the two home on Tuesday.
Astronaut Barry Wilmore, despite the dangerous conditions and separation from his family, boldly shared his hope and faith grounded in Jesus Christ. In an interview with CBS, while still stranded, Captian Wilmore stated:
“My feeling on all of this goes back to my faith. It’s bound in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is working out His plan and His purposes for His glory throughout all of humanity, and how that plays into our lives is significant and important. However that plays out, I am content because I understand that. I understand that He is at work in all things. Some things are for the good; go to Hebrews chapter eleven. Some things look to us to be not so good, but it’s all working for His good, [and] for those that will believe. That’s the answer.”
Evangelist Franklin Graham and FRC President Tony Perkins gave glory to God for the rescue of the astronauts and commended the “astronomical faith” of Captain Wilmore.
Following the crew’s return home, Answers In Genesis Founder and CEO Ken Ham, who stayed in contact with Wilmore at the space station, also praised the Lord for his safety and proclamation of the Gospel.
“Barry is a great friend of the ministry, and he’s kept in touch with us during his unexpectedly long stay aboard the International Space Station,” Ham noted. “We’re thrilled that he and Williams have returned to our planet safely and have begun their rehabilitation as they adjust to the effects of gravity on their bodies. Please be in prayer for that process, that there would not be any long-term health consequences due to the length of their stay.”
“Barry loves Jesus and is so bold about his faith,” Ham stated, further applauding him for using the CBS interview “as an opportunity to proclaim Christ.”
“We’ve been praying for Barry, and for Suni as well, that the Lord would open the way for them to be able to get back to Earth after being stuck on the International Space Station,” he continued. “Barry [is] a wonderful Christian man. He is a creationist. He’s spoken for Answers in Genesis on a number of occasions. The Lord has a great ministry for Barry.”
Ham announced on Wednesday that Captian Wilmore will “be proclaiming Christ again—and sharing about his time in space—at the Ark Encounter” for their first-ever “Astronaut Encounter” event, July 12, 2025.
