Butch Wilmore on Starliner, Spacewalks, and Staying Calm | Planet Tyrus

About this episode

Retired NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore discusses his experiences in space, the challenges of long missions, and the qualities needed to become an astronaut.

Retired NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore joins Planet Tyrus on for a powerful conversation about the Boeing Starliner mission, life aboard the International Space Station, and the mindset required when a mission goes far longer than expected.Butch opens up about being “stuck in space,” the view of auroras and shooting stars from above Earth, his 32+ hours of spacewalks and his career as a U.S. Navy combat pilot. He also explains why getting humans to Mars is so difficult, what movies get wrong about space, and the one trait young people need if they want to become astronauts: an attitude of excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Tyrus

Guest: Butch Wilmore

Topics covered

• space exploration
• NASA
• astronaut experiences
• Boeing Starliner
• International Space Station
• Mars missions
• mindset in space

Keywords

• Butch Wilmore
• NASA
• spacewalks
• Boeing Starliner
• International Space Station
• Mars
• astronaut mindset
• space exploration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, Boeing

Books & works: movies

Places: International Space Station, Mars, Earth

More episodes of Planet Tyrus

• From Opioid Addiction to Endurance Champion | Planet Tyrus · June 11, 2026 · 57 min
• The 65-Ton Dinosaur Found in Patagonia with Kenneth Lacovara | Planet Tyrus · June 4, 2026 · 55 min
• Jim Florentine: How Comics Build an Audience Without Hollywood | Planet Tyrus · June 2, 2026 · 1h 31m
• Ryan Graves: The Navy UFO Sighting That Changed Everything | Planet Tyrus · May 28, 2026 · 49 min
• Dave Smith on Why America Feels Broken | Planet Tyrus · May 26, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Helio Castroneves on Chasing a Record 5th Indy 500 Win | Planet Tyrus · May 21, 2026 · 44 min