NASA astronaut and Tennessee Tech alumnus Barry “Butch” Wilmore is photographed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Photo by Robert Markowitz/NASA
Wilmore will participate in a video question-and-answer session with the children of Tech faculty and staff
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Tennessee Tech University applauded the return to space of its university trustee and two-time graduate Barry “Butch” Wilmore with the Boeing Starliner’s successful June 5 launch.
Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams are expected to dock at the International Space Station at 11:15 a.m. CT Thursday. They will spend eight days at the ISS before beginning their return home.
While there, Wilmore will participate in a video question-and-answer session with the children of Tech faculty and staff. The event will air on NASA TV and will be shared afterward on the agency’s digital platforms. Wilmore recently previewed the video chat in a preflight conversation with reporters, calling Tech “the finest university in the nation.”
Tech President Phil Oldham congratulated Wilmore on his successful launch.
“Through his character and accomplishments, Barry has made Tennessee Tech enormously proud. His indelible mark on our campus is undeniable,” said Oldham. “As he continues on this historic voyage, he has the support and well wishes of the entire Golden Eagle community.”
A Mt. Juliet native, Wilmore holds two degrees and an honorary doctorate from Tech. As a Tech football alum, Wilmore is a member of the university’s Sports Hall of Fame and was the 2018 recipient of the Teddy Roosevelt Award, the NCAA’s highest honor.
Wilmore also received Tech’s 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award for the College of Engineering. His term on the university’s board of trustees extends from 2017 to 2026.
Photo courtesy of Tennessee Tech.
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