This Might Be the Most Fun Episode We’ve Done …

Summary

Duck Call Room – Episode Summary
Episode: "Astronaut Butch Wilmore Needs Brain Scans of Uncle Si After This"
Date: April 2, 2026
Hosts: Si Robertson, Justin Martin, John-David Owen, John Godwin, Jay Stone, Phillip McMillan, Jacob Mayo
Guest: Barry "Butch" Wilmore (Navy Captain, NASA Astronaut, Test Pilot)

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Main Theme
This episode brings a lively, often hilarious, and genuinely insightful conversation between the Duck Call crew and decorated astronaut Butch Wilmore. The hosts dive into Wilmore’s incredible experiences as a Navy aviator and astronaut, focusing on spaceflight stories, his record-long delayed space return, faith, purpose, and a smattering of wild Si-isms that keep things charmingly offbeat. At its heart, the discussion wrestles with big questions: awe at the universe, human frailty, faith in adversity, and where a sense of humor fits into it all.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Astronaut Butch Wilmore (00:46–02:20)

• The hosts hype up Butch, calling him “Top Gun in the house” and marvel at his service as an F-18 naval aviator, combat veteran, and astronaut.
• Si sidetracks with a story about German logistics and running out of plywood in Iraq, to Butch’s amusement.
• After a brief detour, the room agrees: let’s talk space!

2. What’s It Like to Go to Space? (02:38–07:00)

• Speeds in Space:
  “When you’re coming back to Earth… about 25,000 miles an hour, five miles a second.” (Butch, 02:44)
• Earth is Round:
  “464 days in space… 7,424 times around the planet. And every single time I went around the planet, it was round.” (Butch, 03:28)
• First Launch Experience
  • “Lighting the candle:” Laying on his back for hours, launch acceleration, blue sky fading to black, massive orange booster flames, diamonds of ice illuminated by the sun, and that sense of overwhelming privilege.
  • Quote: “Lord, why me? Because who would have loved to been in that seat? Millions. But the Lord allowed me to be in it. So why me?” (Butch, 06:48)

3. Awe, Nerves & Rainbows – Host Stories (07:05–09:35)

• Si shares a mystical story of seeing a circular rainbow during a flight—Butch explains the science: shadow, clouds, sun angle.
• The room giggles over the hosts’ aversion to risk; Butch counters, “You gotta take the ride.” (07:03)

4. Math, Fighter Jets & Military Rivalries (09:36–15:14)

• Butch’s foundation as a Navy pilot and engineer described with affection (“I’m definitely Maverick,” 09:59).
• Good-natured ribbing over F-18 (Navy) vs. F-16 (Air Force).
• Butch dons his original Navy flight jacket: “The foundation of my professional life.” (12:05)
• “You don’t know if you’re a hero. I’m serious. You are one of my heroes.” (Si, 12:20)

5. Spiritual Beliefs & Purpose in Space

Faith as Anchor (15:12–17:59)

• “God’s word is absolutely true. The Bible… It is without error… It’s all we need.” (Butch, 15:27)
• “One sentence summary of the Bible: Before the foundation of the world, God the Father determined to present God the Son with a redeemed humanity that would honor, worship, and glorify him for all eternity.” (Butch, 16:18)
• “Quit trying to make it on your own. You can’t do it… It’s by grace, through faith alone.” (Si & Butch, 17:03)

6. Hardships in Space – Stuck for Almost 10 Months (19:04–21:07, 24:00–28:36)

• Expected length: 2 weeks. Actual length: 286 days.
• “It was quite delayed, Randall… About a month in I told my family, ‘most likely we don’t make it back until probably 2025’… Turns out, staying up was the right call.” (Butch, 24:24–26:50)
• “Never in the history of human space flight… have we not been able to control all six degrees of freedom. And we were in that position.” (Butch, 26:51)
• Faith and contentment in adversity:
  “Because the Lord has saved me… it breeds absolute contentment in all situations.” (Butch, 19:30)

7. Space Station Life: Views, Food, and Pee Water (31:46–48:42)

• Living volume: “Six buses connected end-to-end.” (Butch, 31:55)
• “The view is spectacular… Mesmerizing. Aurora borealis, shooting stars below you, billions of stars.” (Butch, 32:13, 36:43)
• “Today’s drink is tomorrow’s drink… We separate the good urine from the bad urine… process it and drink it tomorrow.” (Butch, 46:19)
• “I’d like to have a scan of your brain. Where’s all this stuff coming from?” (Butch to Si, 47:44)

8. Lighthearted Moments, Rivalry & ‘Space Logic’ (38:28–44:25)

• Butch’s four greatest songs ever: “How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, It is Well, and Danger Zone.” (Butch, 38:41)
• Moon landing doubters addressed:
  “400,000 people worked on the lunar program… not one came forward and said it was not real… Yes, we went to the moon. We absolutely did.” (Butch, 40:07)
• Space movies? “Rogue One. There’s not a better movie ever made… Absolutely everybody dies!” (Butch, 42:28)

9. Personal & Professional Reflections (50:19–52:06)

• “If I could only do one, I’d operate off aircraft carriers.” (Butch, 49:57)
• “It’s about the mission. 100%. The mission focus is on the mission.” (Butch, 51:10)
• Family updates: daughters in college in Texas; just left NASA; faith continues to drive him.

10. Faith, Legacy & Closing (54:05–end)

• Favorite Bible verse:
  “John 3:27: ‘A man cannot receive even one thing unless it comes to him from heaven… I must decrease, he must increase.’” (Butch, 54:28)
• “To God be the glory. Thank y’all for this opportunity.” (Butch, 55:40)

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Memorable Quotes

• On Space Perspective:
  “Every single time I went around the planet, it was round.” (Butch, 03:28)
• On Faith:
  “God’s word is absolutely true … It is all we need.” (Butch, 15:27)
• On Being Stuck in Space:
  “Staying up was the right call. … It’s never happened in history, not being able to control all six degrees of freedom.” (Butch, 26:50)
• On Adversity:
  “Because the Lord has saved me … it breeds absolute contentment in all situations.” (Butch, 19:30)
• On Pee Water:
  “Today’s drink is tomorrow’s drink!” (Butch, 46:19)
• Song Rankings:
  “How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, It is Well, and Danger Zone.” (Butch, 38:41)
• On Legacy and Humility:
  “A man cannot receive even one thing unless it comes to him from heaven. … I must decrease, he must increase.” (Butch, 54:28)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:46 — Guest intro, Top Gun references, Si’s odd war story
• 02:38 — Spaceflight speeds and flat Earth proof
• 04:00 — Butch’s first sight of space; “lighting the candle”
• 07:05 — Si’s airplane rainbow story; Butch explains science
• 12:05 — Navy flight jacket, military pride, hero status
• 15:12 — Space and the meaning of life; single sentence Bible summary
• 19:04 — “286 days in space” – the ordeal and faith in adversity
• 24:00 — Detailed description of Starliner mishap and historic six degrees of freedom issue
• 31:55 — Life on the ISS, auroras, shooting stars from above
• 36:43 — Si’s awe at shooting stars below; Butch’s sense of wonder
• 38:41 — Butch’s four greatest songs
• 40:07 — Moon landing conspiracy debunked
• 42:28 — “Rogue One” as best space movie
• 46:19 — Recycling water on the ISS (“today’s drink is tomorrow’s drink”)
• 49:57 — “Naval aviator” pride, carrier landings are best
• 54:28 — John 3:27 and a message of humility and praise

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Overall Tone
Playful back-and-forth, plenty of Si’s irrepressible humor, awe and reverence for both the wonders of space and the convictions of faith. Wilmore is humble, gracious, and captivating, striking a balance between scientific, military, and spiritual perspectives. The whole roundtable is as comfortable launching into scripture as they are launching into space jokes, with a current of gratitude and southern camaraderie throughout.

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For Further Info

• Butch Wilmore's book: Stuck In Space: An Astronaut's Hope Through the Unexpected
• Key takeaway: Faith, humility, and a sense of humor are as essential in space as they are in life—sometimes, more.

Transcript

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[Host 1]

He's excited.

[Host 2]

Oh, oh, yeah. I am excited.

[Host 3]

Should we start?

[Host 2]

Yeah, we'll start.

[Host 3]

Five, four, three, two.

[Host 2]

This podcast, we've got a guest. Okay. He's a M50.

[Butch Wilmore]

What is the F18, sir? A seven's an F18.

[Host 2]

Okay. Pilot.

[Host 3]

He was so good at that. What did he do next?

[Host 2]

Yeah, he was so good at that. They said, hey, look, we want to put you in a rocket ship and send you to outer space.

[Host 3]

There we go.

[Butch Wilmore]

So he, truth be told, that's not exactly how it goes, but okay, we'll go with that.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

We have got astronaut Butch Wilmore in studio with us today.

[Host 2]

That's right.

[Host 1]

That's right.

[Host 3]

And we're fired up about it.

[Host 1]

This is so weird. They just did everything I normally do.

[Host 3]

We're too excited.

[Host 1]

I'm not real sure why I'm here.

[Host 3]

I was at S's house last night.

[Butch Wilmore]

Here to make me look good.

[Host 1]

I think I did. I make everybody sit right there.

[Host 2]

Goodbye. Nobody needs to make you look good.

[Butch Wilmore]

I didn't mean it that way.

[Host 1]

I'm just saying you're bringing up the bar.

[Host 2]

I've already thanked this veteran for his service. Okay. Because what, you fought in Iraq?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yes, sir.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Host 2]

I was in Germany at the time, you know, and I shipped. Okay, man, the guy we ship 7th Corps with everything they had. Germany.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Okay. And guess what? The one thing we run out of and could get enough of was wood.

[Butch Wilmore]

Wood. No kidding. Not a lot of wood in the desert.

[Host 2]

Look, plywood. All this stuff. All this stuff that you gotta put on to lock everything down on a train to ship it somewhere.

[Host 3]

We have an astronaut and you're talking about lumber?

[Host 2]

Well, no, no.

[Host 1]

Oh, we got an astronaut. We talking about Iraq. Well, I know what that place look like.

[Butch Wilmore]

You can't have a.

[Host 2]

We got Top Gun in the house, baby. Okay, this ain't a movie. This is real life.

[Host 1]

I know what Iraq looks like. I've seen Fox News. Let's talk about space, man.

[Host 3]

The United States of space.

[Host 2]

Now my question is, how fast does that rocket go?

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, it goes faster than about anything goes.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

When you're coming back to Earth, I mean, you're traveling like, like, like I said, 25,000 miles an hour, roughly. Yeah, you're, you're, you're, you're moving five miles a second.

[Host 3]

I don't like to go, I don't like to go to Texas because the speed limit's 80 some places and it makes me uncomfortable.

[Host 2]

So when top gun will say miles, I have the speed.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, five miles a second.

[Host 2]

They wouldn't, they wouldn't kid when they said I have the need for speed.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's true. You orbit the planet every 90 minutes. You know, the circumference of the Earth is 25,000 miles at 17,500 miles an hour, which is what your orbiting speed is. Yeah, five miles a second.

[Host 1]

So you've been up there. Is this Earth round?

[Host 3]

You know, we got a few conspiracy theories we need to bump.

[Butch Wilmore]

Do the math. 464 days in space. 16 orbits, 16 sunrises, sunsets a day. So 16 orbits a day. Every single. At 7,424 times around the planet. And every single time I went around the planet, it was round.

[Host 3]

Wait, hold on.

[Butch Wilmore]

Flat. A single single time.

[Host 2]

Not you.

[Butch Wilmore]

Not what?

[Host 3]

You got math way too fast. You've been around the planet 727,400 27,400 either. I'm, my mind is blown.

[Host 1]

That's a pretty good.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's a, that's a lot of time off the planet.

[Host 2]

I have to ask. What did. When you got up there and was looking around, what were you feeling?

[Butch Wilmore]

So let me tell you that story because I think it's interesting. So I'm in the right seat of the space shuttle, my first launch, and you make it. You're laying on your back for three hours roughly before you actually like to like the candle and start heading up.

[Host 1]

You call it a candle?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Well, Hey, not.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, exactly.

[Host 1]

You're really trying to romanticize a big explosion under your rear end. Of course, that's cool.

[Host 3]

We're lighting the candle.

[Butch Wilmore]

Lighting a candle. And all of a sudden you're laying on your back one G. And all of a sudden you almost two GS immediately. And you start accelerating. And you know, I'm in the right front seat of the space shuttle. Light blue sky, and it just gets dark. Actually, first we go through a cloud, straight up through a cloud. It comes closer, closer, closer as it Gets close. The light from the solid rocky boosters the big orange, you know, that's putting out a lot of flame. Yeah, it, the whole cloud goes orange for like a second and then we poof right through it. So that's the first kind of visual that I, that I'm experiencing. And then you go through and the light blue sky gets darker and darker and darker and darker until it's black. I mean, pretty, pretty amazing. We get to space, I'm still strapped in.

[Host 1]

I just got queasy.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, I get space, I'm still strapped in. And I look over my left shoulder and Mike Foreman, who was down on the mid deck below, comes levitating up through the hatch where there's a ladder. You know, we always climb the ladder, but you don't need a ladder in space. He just levitates up. Weirdest thing I'd ever seen. I mean, I've seen it on video, people floating, but with my own eyes.

[Host 3]

But now you're in space.

[Butch Wilmore]

Now I'm in space and I'm feeling. I'm still strapped in because I got about two hours of work with the commander. I'm the pilot. And so as we continue, we got the. You got to maintain your attitude. So you got reaction control thrusters that are firing to maintain the attitude. And initially those thrusters fire at 870 pounds of thrust. Those are the primaries. Eventually you go to verniers, which just maintain the attitude. They're 24, just. You don't even feel them. But initially these big orange blasts out the front, right out the window. And then when you separate from the external tank, I'm assuming that you understand what the shuttle looks like. The shuttle separates from the external tank. A lot of water vapor separates because it's got condensation on the outside of the tank and it turns to ice. And so there's thousands of what looks like diamonds illuminated by the sun that's behind us. I bet it's beautiful. I mean, diamonds and these orange flash. Just, just put yourself there. I mean, that's, that was my first experience of space. Feeling the weightlessness, seeing these explosions going off at my feet and these orange blasts out the window. Thousands of diamonds illuminated by the sun behind us. It was, it was amazing. And my thought, honestly was, lord, why me? Because who would have loved to been in that seat? Millions of people would love to, but the Lord allowed me to be in it. So why me?

[Host 3]

Martin said, not me.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, no, we're all wired different, like I said.

[Host 1]

Now if you could drop me off

[Host 3]

up there you can go.

[Host 1]

The violence.

[Host 2]

Oh, no, no, no. You got to take the ride.

[Butch Wilmore]

You got to take the ride.

[Host 1]

He was telling me everything he saw on the way up. You know what I'd have seen nothing. My eyes would have been, no, no,

[Host 2]

because what he, what he just said to me, I, I ask people rainbows. Okay, so look, I'm going to the museum of our Navy seal. Can't wait to see in Orlando, Florida. Okay, so look, when I get it strapped in my seatbelt, okay, you know, I always say a prayer and as I say now, we. We.

[Host 1]

How hard he was praying.

[Host 2]

No, no, we're going up.

[Host 1]

You only go 36,000ft.

[Host 2]

I didn't know it, but at the time when he leveled off his 28,000ft.

[Host 1]

Uh huh.

[Host 2]

Okay, so look, I'm sitting there and I look outside my window and the white cloud is level right below my window. So all I see is just the white cloud. But then I look and there is a circular rainbow.

[Host 1]

Oh.

[Host 2]

Right outside my window.

[Host 3]

Oh, I've heard that.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

And I'm going, wait a minute. There's only one thing up here that's circular. That's the jet engine below the wing, which is below me, which I can't see because of the cloud. So I'm looking and saying, what in the world is, how is this happening? And look, it did not leave right. Windows. Okay. Until we landed. When we descended to go down to land, it stayed with us the whole trip, which was about three hours.

[Butch Wilmore]

Wow.

[Host 2]

And I'm looking at this and going. But when I landed, Bridget Marshall was there because we was doing a singing gig with my band.

[Host 3]

A longer story.

[Host 2]

I said, bridget, this is going to

[Host 1]

be a equally wild of a rush.

[Host 2]

This is going to be a fabulous time Boston, because, hey, I said, a rainbow rode with me all the way here. There's no.

[Host 3]

Is there rainbows in space?

[Butch Wilmore]

Something was putting out water vapor. And the angle, the sun was just right. That's what it was. Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

But for it to be circular.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah. I've got a video actually on my phone, I probably took me forever to find it of flying a T38. And, and the cloud, the reflection of the shadow from the sun on the cloud. And there's a rainbow all the way around it as I'm going, as I'm flying. Because that angle was just right. 46 degrees or something like that. That. Oh yeah, it's. It's amazing. You're right, it's amazing.

[Host 1]

But you're a way bigger nerd than people give you credit for. I can appreciate that. That's the part of this I find the most fascinating, the way you calculated all that math so fast.

[Host 3]

I was like, you don't fly planes that look like they're from the movies without being good at math.

[Host 1]

Oh, that's.

[Host 3]

He said T38. I said, I might as well look at a picture.

[Host 1]

You maverick or goose?

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, I'm definitely McMaverick.

[Host 1]

Yes, yes.

[Host 3]

Size got chills.

[Host 1]

That's awesome.

[Host 2]

It leaves me speechless.

[Host 1]

Okay, so you did the aircraft carrier stuff too?

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Host 1]

Now that's a ride too, ain't it? On and off, that thing.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's why I wore this. This is the. This is the foundation of my professional life. Was. Was I got out of college, had electrical engineering degree. I thought, yeah, I need to serve my country.

[Host 1]

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[Host 3]

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[Host 1]

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[Butch Wilmore]

This thing is, you know, this is the original one I got issued to me 40 years ago. This is the. I had to redo some of the stitching here because it frayed. But this is the original one, and like I said, that's. I've never worn it to anything I've done, but I wore it for you guys because it does. You're right. It does.

[Host 1]

Oh, I got issue 40 years ago.

[Host 2]

You don't know if you're a hero.

[Host 1]

Jacket is always.

[Host 2]

I'm serious.

[Host 3]

I don't know.

[Butch Wilmore]

But you got to realize.

[Host 2]

No, no, I'm serious. You are. You are one of my heroes. Because he. You. Yo.

[Butch Wilmore]

To.

[Host 2]

To get in that thing and fly and then do what y' all do.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, yeah. You're very kind. It's all for the Lord's glory, though. I ever bit for the Lord's glory, everything.

[Host 1]

So a commercial flight, though, is pretty boring for you, huh?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, I'm not a big fan. Maybe you get. It's. It's. It's a necessary evil, though.

[Host 1]

They ever let you drive? You just walk up there. Well, I tell you, why don't y' all get out the way? I think I know what I'm doing here.

[Host 3]

And we about to get there a little bit quicker.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

I tell you what, if I ever get on a flight and he's on it, I'm gonna feel so good about. We got backup, bro.

[Butch Wilmore]

People ask me all the time. Fly that. I'm like, well, it's got a throttle and a stick. Yeah, absolutely.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

But, hey, no autopilot required.

[Host 2]

He can't do the things he did to the F16. In that. In that. In that.

[Butch Wilmore]

Let's clarify that. F16's Air Force. That's F18.

[Host 3]

Let's Air Force up in here. No, it's the United States Navy.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

There you go. There you go. We salute you, 16. When I was wanting to enter the Navy, I had an air. A jet in my mind's eye. I didn't know what it was because I didn't know anything about anything military. It was an F16. That was the airplane, the jet that I saw in my mind's eyes. I was, you know, thinking about what I wanted to do.

[Host 1]

Yeah, that's cool, man.

[Butch Wilmore]

It is.

[Host 2]

That's unbelievable. They ain't got a word for what he does. Yeah, cool don't cut it.

[Host 1]

No, I know, but

[Host 3]

you've probably gone faster, like, than what every human being, but maybe like three.

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, there's. There's. You know, if you. If you flew the space shuttle, you went 25,000 on the return is when you get your speed because the Earth's gravitational pull is pulling you back 25,000 miles. Yeah.

[Host 1]

So man said five miles a second.

[Butch Wilmore]

25,000, yeah. Feet per se. Yeah. You're moving five miles a second. So there's a lot of people.

[Host 1]

Not a lot.

[Butch Wilmore]

I mean.

[Host 2]

Yes. That's amazing because the earth rotates at

[Butch Wilmore]

what strikes one time around every 24 hours.

[Host 2]

Well, I don't, but I. Oh, I

[Host 3]

think that it's called today it's about

[Butch Wilmore]

25,000, you know, because they, you know,

[Host 2]

they tell me, they said, hey, you were actually going like oh, so many miles. Yo.

[Butch Wilmore]

Because inertial speed at the equator, you're traveling just over a thousand miles an hour.

[Host 2]

Noise. Here's what's, here's what's the amazing part of it. I said, you know where I was at in about 90% of it, I was either in the bed or my recliner. And I said, this is millions of miles that I've traveled sitting right here in this chair. Right here in this chair.

[Butch Wilmore]

Right.

[Host 3]

So I said.

[Host 2]

And I didn't even feel that she's pulling me.

[Butch Wilmore]

I never even thought of it. You're right. We are moving.

[Host 2]

Well.

[Host 3]

Hey, you gotta move quick.

[Host 2]

I ain't got no sis.

[Host 3]

Wait, you've never thought about it. That's awesome.

[Butch Wilmore]

Put it in perspective. Indeed.

[Host 3]

So, so as someone who's seen all that, done all that been to space, come back to the earth and you've kind of hinted at. I believe you believe in greater power. That wasn't all by accident. You don't think all this just popped up, huh?

[Butch Wilmore]

Absolutely not. No. God's word is absolutely true. The Bible is, is foundational to who I am. It's foundational to everything. It's foundational to creation. It's foundational to the purpose of life. It's foundational to everything. It is without error, it's inerrant and it's. And it's completely. It's all we need.

[Host 3]

So you don't think this whole thing could have just popped out of nowhere? Didn't happen, had to have a creator?

[Host 2]

Here's the question of the day. Uh oh.

[Butch Wilmore]

What?

[Host 2]

No, no, I've got to ask you.

[Host 1]

I'm sorry, I don't know what this all you've done.

[Host 2]

Okay. And who you believe. What did you think about this stupid human race?

[Host 1]

Oh, wow.

[Butch Wilmore]

What do you think about it? God and, and, and I don't know how he still is still going in eternity past.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

He determined. Let me give you a one sentence summary of the Bible. You ever heard of one summary of the Bible?

[Host 3]

I'm excited.

[Butch Wilmore]

Here we go. Before the foundation of the world, God the Father determined to present God the Son with a redeemed humanity that would honor, worship, and glorify him for all eternity. In one sentence, that's a summary of the Bible. Because what God did is he created all of creation for the purpose of calling out a humanity that would honor, worship, and glorify the Son forever. And that's, you know, if you're a believer, if you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, you're forgiven of your sin, then he, we, you are a part of a love gift from God the Father, God the Son. That's, That's a. So we have purpose. There's our purpose.

[Host 2]

Here's the point that I hammer home. Okay. Hey, quit trying to. To make it on your own.

[Butch Wilmore]

Amen.

[Host 2]

You can't do it.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, you can't.

[Host 3]

That's why.

[Host 2]

Hey. That's why God gave it to you as a gift.

[Butch Wilmore]

Amen.

[Host 2]

With no strings attached.

[Butch Wilmore]

We can't earn it. We can't. We can't get it. It's by grace. By grace through faith alone.

[Host 3]

And he never promised us that this life would be easy. And speaking of not easy, let's talk

[Butch Wilmore]

about that real quick.

[Host 3]

You went.

[Butch Wilmore]

Okay, real quick.

[Host 3]

Because you went through something that sounds really about it.

[Butch Wilmore]

God's word is true, right? Matthew 7, 13 and 14. The wide and narrow gates. The wide gate is the gate that everybody's on that leads to destruction. The narrow gate is the narrow gate where you have to leave your sin behind, repent, do all those things through life. But think about what it also says. It says the W gate is the easy gate. The narrow gate is the hard gate. And the reason it's hard is because as believers, you have a great responsibility. And that makes life not hard in a hard, difficult, bad way, but hard in a God honoring way. It's not easy to live.

[Host 2]

That's why when the verse that says, hey, without faith you can never please

[Butch Wilmore]

God, can never please him. Exactly.

[Host 2]

Now that statement makes a lot more sense.

[Butch Wilmore]

Does indeed. But we got theological real quick, didn't we? Yeah.

[Host 2]

All right.

[Host 1]

We kind of circle back and forth on it.

[Host 3]

Yeah. We go hard on Jesus. Then we're like, hey, have you ever been to Epcot and rode Mission Space? And is that close to the real thing? Yeah, that's a serious question.

[Host 1]

It's.

[Butch Wilmore]

It's not close. It's. It simulates as good as you can with gravitational forces. But it's.

[Host 3]

You have written it.

[Butch Wilmore]

I have, I have.

[Host 3]

How cool would that Be. To be the little kid and the stranger next to use up actual.

[Host 2]

Oh, no. Oh, hey, when you say shit, you

[Host 3]

said, right, yes, I am a child.

[Host 2]

No, I'm still a child.

[Host 3]

Okay.

[Host 2]

I refuse to grow up. That's one of the problems I had with the military.

[Host 3]

That is true.

[Host 2]

Okay, well.

[Host 3]

And I was going into the hard times thing because your story is fascinating because you did all this awesome stuff, and then your. Your last flight was a bit delayed on the return.

[Butch Wilmore]

It was. Yeah, we got. We got. Well, I would say it's more than a bit delayed. It was quite delayed, Randall.

[Host 2]

Hey, you went up there thinking, how long?

[Butch Wilmore]

Less than two weeks. Two weeks.

[Host 2]

Two weeks. And you stayed for how long?

[Butch Wilmore]

286 days.

[Host 1]

Holy.

[Host 2]

How much?

[Butch Wilmore]

286. Yeah. Almost 10 months. Nine and a half months. Yeah, it was. It was.

[Host 2]

How does that affect your psyche?

[Host 1]

He could have had a kid.

[Host 2]

No, no,

[Butch Wilmore]

you got to go back to what we were saying before. God's word is true. It's absolutely true. Because of. I'm a. Because the Lord has saved me. I didn't do anything. I didn't deserve it. I'm a wretched sinner saved by grace. He saved me because of that. It breeds absolute contentment in all situations. Not that you don't get concerned, but content.

[Host 2]

No, no. Paul says it best when he said, I've learned in whatever I find myself in.

[Butch Wilmore]

Think about Paul. I'm glad you mentioned that. Five times he was beaten with a whip, 40 lashes, minus one. Five times, beaten with a rod, three times. He was stoned and left for dead a day and a night. Shipwreck day and a night in the sea. And through it all, he says, like you just mentioned, I am content. And he wasn't like, give me another lash. That's not content. He's like, yeah, give me another lash, Lord. It's not that. It means in those situations, because he knew he was in the center of the Lord's will, he was fully content. I take strength in that.

[Host 2]

Most people don't realize Jesus came. He left heaven and came to this earth with two things. He was full of grace and truth.

[Butch Wilmore]

Amen.

[Host 2]

Now, just having this little discussion reminds me how important that statement is.

[Butch Wilmore]

It is. And like the Book of John, if you read through the book of John and you mark it, he says, truly, truly. I say unto you, this is true. He says it. He says, like 40 times. He's emphasizing, this is true. Deception everywhere. This is true. This is true. This is truly, truly. And so he got a storyteller I

[Host 2]

have to say that a lot because they're not.

[Host 3]

He really was stuck in.

[Host 2]

I'm making a point here though. If you get the storyteller, okay, they always almost. He's lying again. It's kind of like a politician. If you live the movie, you lie.

[Host 3]

Well, that's because you said that the Vietnamese stole the tires off your moving vehicle. And he says the thrusters went out on his spaceship while he was in space.

[Host 2]

Things happen. Okay, no.

[Host 1]

How are we even comparing those?

[Host 2]

That's why I brought up the verse, okay? Without faith, you cannot please the father.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's true.

[Host 3]

And we have to have faith stories.

[Host 2]

If you hear something and you don't believe it. Whoa, whoa. Unto you. Okay.

[Host 1]

Oh, man. Y' all know Neutrophone has been with us for a while while now. A long while. Long enough to get Britney from a postpartum hair care routine to now she's graduated to the women's core for women over 45.

[Host 3]

Look, my sister's on it. Phillip's on it, Christine's on it, Philip's wife's on it.

[Host 1]

Hey. And doesn't Christine's using it, right?

[Host 2]

S. That's it.

[Host 1]

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[Butch Wilmore]

Do you all know when this will air? I've got to send this to all My friends.

[Host 3]

Oh, yeah,

[Host 1]

Tomorrow night we're gonna, we're gonna turn and burn.

[Butch Wilmore]

Outstanding.

[Host 3]

I already hinted at this.

[Host 1]

We're gonna get you out before the resurrection. Man, this is good.

[Host 3]

Well, but I was watching an interview of you this morning and just trying to. Because, I mean, everybody remembers it in the news like these, these two astronauts are stuck in space. Your friend had great hair every time she was on Fox News and, and I was just like, this is crazy. But then I was watching this morning and like, you knew things were awry pretty quick, huh?

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, I did, yeah. I knew, I knew before we ever docked because of. We lost five thrusters. Five of our. We have eight aft firing thrusters and during the course of the evolution, we lost five of them. And knowing how difficult it is to understand the problem, completely bound the problem to where you feel comfortable enough to get back in before we ever docked. So there's, there's a couple of things I thought, first off, we have to dock because I'm on the controls. It is not easy to maintain control. It's very challenging. I'm using every bit of experience and in the book Stuck in Space, I mean, I detail the, with how the Lord used experience to bring me this. This experience prepares you for the next. Prepare you for the next. Just like in the life of Joseph. Right. So. And it details in the life in the book here about that and leading up to that. So I'm on the controls. Very difficult to control. We have to dock. If we don't dock, I don't think we can, at least in the condition we are not knowing why we're losing the thrusters. I don't see how I can maneuver the spacecraft to get to a point where we can do a deorbit burn and return to Earth. So that's why we have to dock in the moment.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Butch Wilmore]

And then also in that thought process, to your point, if we do dock, I don't think we're coming home in this spacecraft. Even before we docked, it was obvious to me that it would be very challenging. How can we bound the problem? Because you can't do a spacewalk and go out and inspect the thrusters. They're not made that way. So there's. How do you bound the problem? I thought there's no way. So when it was three months, we were on space station three months before the final decision was made not to return on the spacecraft. But about a month in, because of what I already knew, I told my family, I said, hey, the most likely scenario is, you know, we don't, we don't make it back until probably 2025. And this was July of 2024 at the time, so that was six months away. And that's the most likely scenario. And as it played out, we were probably would have been up a full year. It would have been June when we got back of 2025. But powers that Be Administration got involved and swapped some spacecraft on the ground processing that was taking place of the SpaceX Dragon and launched one in March, which means we were able to come back in March and advice all the way to June. So anyway, that's the thought process and it turns out we shouldn't have been on the spacecraft. I mean, getting on that spacecraft. It did have some issues coming back. It made it back, but it still had issues. And us being on it would not have been a good thing with the issues that they had. So staying up was the right call.

[Host 3]

That's unbelievable.

[Butch Wilmore]

It is, it is. I mean, it's. There's never been in the history of human space flight, in the scenario of flying in space where you've been unable to control all six degrees of freedom. You got pitch, roll and yaw. That's attitude, right? And then you got translation forward and aft, up and down, left and right. That's translation, three degrees. So I put those together. That's six degrees of freedom, right? And so never in the history of human space flight have we not been able to control all six degrees of freedom. And we were in that position and

[Host 3]

you, and you still land or docked.

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, over the course of time, we were able to get a couple of thrusters back, which enabled us to get to the position where we could dock. And that's the ground teams, everybody working together. So real time, that, that's one of

[Host 2]

the things when I said, you know, you just, you step on the rocket, go up, okay. And there's so many things that can go wrong.

[Butch Wilmore]

So many can.

[Host 2]

And you're up there and hey, there ain't nobody there coming to help you.

[Host 3]

Don't call an Uber driver to come pick.

[Butch Wilmore]

You have deal with the situations as they arise. You're right. And this one was a challenging one, but by God's grace, we were able to deal with it. And, and it, and, and ultimately it turned out for good. And I think it turns out for good, even for future spacecraft, because the lessons that we learned. Now, the classification has been a Type A mishap, which is the same level of mishap as the Challenger accident and also the Columbia tragedy. Okay, so that's the same level, and it should be because we survived. Yes, but we survived because of intense preparation by us and the crew and also intense preparation by the ground working together to avert catastrophe.

[Host 2]

Team effort.

[Host 1]

Was it just you? It was just you and one other, right?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, it was just me and Sunny Williams.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Okay.

[Butch Wilmore]

In the spacecraft, was she.

[Host 1]

Is she a believer?

[Butch Wilmore]

You know, Sunny has her. Has her own belief. I would, I would. I would love to share the full gospel with her and challenge her on that, but maybe one day we'll have that opportunity.

[Host 1]

Oh, yeah, well, I'll share at some point up there in 200 and something days. She probably got a pretty good feel for it.

[Host 3]

I've only known you for about 26 minutes and 10 seconds and I feel like it comes oozing out of you pretty quick.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I think. I think things like this would actually change the way you think about stuff.

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, you know. Sigh. The Lord's got to work in your heart, right?

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

No, no, because that's why I'd asked you about your. Yeah. I'm actually speechless because this is so. This is why. Yeah, no, no, this is good.

[Host 3]

I ask a really, really just dumb question.

[Butch Wilmore]

There are no dumb questions.

[Host 3]

Did you say, houston, we have a problem? I did. I feel like I would have. I also wouldn't be on a spaceship.

[Butch Wilmore]

I did not say that. But I know everybody was thinking, yeah, yeah. There was no need to say. Matter of fact, the communication was. Was minimal. Okay. They knew we had our hands full and I knew they were working the problem to try to try to rectify it. So I didn't say a lot to them about what was taking place. And they didn't say a lot to us either. Okay. They just said, hey, do this. And I'm like, that's really hard to do in the condition. But I'll try.

[Host 2]

That's why I asked the question when you got up there, how did you actually feel? You know, I think I would have felt just isolated and totally alone.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, you prepare yourself mentally. You realize, realizing, sigh again. I go back to. It's a privilege to serve regardless of what situation you find yourself in, because you know that you're serving a country that may not be Christian in that follows all what God's word says, but it's based on those principles. And ultimately, what's the role of a government? Romans 13. It's to protect and dissuade evil. That's what our government is called to do. And our government does that. And that's why I wear this jacket with pride and these navy wings of gold with pride. Because we dispel evil around the globe. That's what we do. We're not aggressors. We don't go out and take stuff. We dispel evil. And that policing type role as God has mandated. And that's why I support our nation and all of it's. Our national endeavors are along those lines, including our space fare and being space faring nations. I mean geopolitical. I mean a nation that can go to space regularly, go to the moon, do those type of things shows power and shows restraint for evil. Ultimately that's what governments are called to do. We get focused on things that really are important. But you know, Christ and Jesus Christ our Lord is everything. Everything else pales in comparison. No, no important but fails in comparison.

[Host 1]

I've been sitting here thinking about how big of a pansy I was for griping about being out of power for six days. This guy

[Host 3]

had power on the International Space Station, sir.

[Host 1]

We were cold.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I'm joking, I'm joking.

[Host 1]

I'm just sitting there thinking like God, I was miserable sitting here.

[Host 3]

How big is the International Space Station?

[Butch Wilmore]

So the like the habitable volume. Think about say six buses connected Indian. The habitable volume, it's fairly large.

[Host 3]

I mean you're in six buses for roughly nine months.

[Butch Wilmore]

For nine and a half months. Yeah, but I mean it, it's enclosed. But hey, let me tell you something. The view there it is, there's the cupola right there.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

Is spectacular. And it's. And you're traveling 17,500 miles an hour around the planet. You're ready every 90 minutes and the planet is rotating under you, so you get a different view every time you go around. It's, it's mesmerizing. It's amazing.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Never the same view.

[Butch Wilmore]

Amazing. Yeah, amazing. I mean thrilling. And the auroras, oh my. The northern southern road, the power, most powerful they've been in decades. Just, just, just beautiful.

[Host 3]

I really like Google maps too. So I bet that would be. Well, were you like, oh look, there's Murphy's. That's where I'm from.

[Host 1]

You better not miss it. You better not blink.

[Host 3]

You only got to wait 90 minutes.

[Host 1]

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[Host 3]

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[Host 1]

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[Butch Wilmore]

I can understand doubting Thomas. I mean, we are a bunch of doubters. God's word is here. It's true. It's absolutely true. It proves itself over and over and over, and yet we still don't honor it. Don't trust, don't believe it. You know, those type in those. In those moments when we.

[Host 2]

That's why I have, you know, I tell you it was simple. I get hung up on it and I look and say, wait a minute. You don't know what's at your disposal.

[Host 1]

Them socks would argue that you're very complicated.

[Host 3]

Well, no, he had some. He had some Internet browser.

[Host 2]

Hey, that right there is reason I believe in God.

[Host 1]

You got honeybee socks on.

[Host 2]

Oh, yeah. Hey, hey, look at these. This suckers.

[Butch Wilmore]

Those are stylish.

[Host 1]

Those are stylish.

[Host 3]

Why are they so long?

[Butch Wilmore]

How far do they go?

[Host 3]

Yeah, you've got Hakeem Elijah on. Socks on.

[Host 2]

I have become famous because of socks. My wife went to a sock emporium, okay. And bought me about 40 pair of them.

[Host 1]

I didn't know she opted for the knee highs.

[Host 2]

Yeah. And hey, everybody in the world now is sending me socks.

[Host 1]

I was just laughing that they were like a bumblebee color. I had no idea they went to your knees.

[Host 2]

Oh, hey.

[Host 3]

For those listening, he showed his socks and his pant leg just kept going up and up.

[Host 2]

Me and bumblebees go way back.

[Host 1]

Oh, I know.

[Host 3]

Bumblebees.

[Host 2]

Okay. I know.

[Host 1]

I got, I got. Now you're looking at that out there when they're looking at Earth, did you ever look the other way up? Oh yeah, yeah. Do you see anything cool come flying back there?

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, I tell you what's really cool. I tell you what's cool, Looking down, seeing shooting stars below you because the atmosphere is below you.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

And that's pretty amazing. That's, that's. I mean it's.

[Host 3]

And then you're here today, which is a. We're going back to the moon today.

[Butch Wilmore]

We are today's launch. Hopefully. Hopefully.

[Host 3]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

They're supposed to go to the service.

[Host 3]

They're going around the moon.

[Host 1]

See, I never know what. I thought it was April Fool's joke.

[Host 3]

No, hey, you need a 12 year old son named Carter. He will inform you.

[Host 1]

I saw that, I saw that post this morning, but I just was waiting for the April.

[Host 3]

No, no, they're going back.

[Host 1]

Like everybody.

[Host 3]

First time since the 70s.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah. 5:24 Central is the launch time. Yep. First time since. It's 54 years since we've been to the moon.

[Host 1]

Where are they launching from?

[Butch Wilmore]

Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

[Host 1]

I should have stayed in Fort Myers.

[Host 3]

Yeah, you were just there.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, yeah. Reed Wiseman, the commander and I did a Spacewalk together in 2014 when we were on the space station together.

[Host 3]

So he's in, he's. Your friend is in the.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah. And Victor Glover. Both Reed and Victor are also naval aviators. I've known Victor for decades as well.

[Host 2]

This is insane. It just hit me what you said about. Okay, you normally are looking up at the stars.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, I was looking down.

[Host 2]

Looking down on.

[Butch Wilmore]

Down on shooting stars.

[Host 1]

Shooting stars?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, shooting stars. But the stars, you get above the atmosphere, I mean, they're more brilliant colors. There's obviously you can see more stars because the atmosphere kind of hides some of them, unless you're in a very clear day. And it's just, it's just mesmerizing, truly mesmerizing. When you think, what is it in Genesis then Creation, he said, and he created the stars also. And then Psalm 147:4. I mean there's gazillions. We can't even count the stars. And it says God created everyone and knows them all by name. I mean, goodness, that's a powerful almighty.

[Host 2]

And there's a few of them up there, boys.

[Butch Wilmore]

There's a few of them. Indeed.

[Host 3]

A few of them.

[Host 1]

Certainly more than two.

[Butch Wilmore]

Think about this. You look into a piece of sky like the size of the moon. Just look into a piece of sky. And the Hubble Space Telescope did that. And it came down with an ultra high definition photo, I think that's what it's called. And basically, as it's orbiting the Earth, it would look at that piece of sky, and over the course of, like, 13 years, it would open its lens and take in light. And it did, like, 13 days total, taking, like, something like that. Anyway, when they got the picture, there's billions of galaxies which have trillions of stars in this one little piece of sky. And think about this. You count to a trillion, one number per second. Guess how long it takes you to count to 1 trillion. 31,709 years to count to 1 trillion. And there's trillions and trillions in this one little piece of sky. Think about that. As far as the magnitude of our God and creation of all things. Oh, my. Oh, my.

[Host 2]

What you went through as a human being going to space, flying the. The F16s and all this.

[Butch Wilmore]

18, 18.

[Host 3]

18, 18.

[Host 1]

Put some respect. Put some respect on this man's name.

[Host 2]

I told you I was a simple man.

[Host 3]

Okay, we're gonna start playing Danger Zone in here.

[Butch Wilmore]

Bring it.

[Host 1]

Is there a pretty. Is there a pretty. Pretty good rivalry between y' all and the Air Force?

[Butch Wilmore]

There is. Just think about this.

[Host 2]

Oh, yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

Four greatest Songs Ever Made. How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace. It is well with My Soul and Danger Zone, Right? Don't you agree?

[Host 2]

Wait a minute.

[Butch Wilmore]

Don't you agree?

[Host 3]

I'm not lying to you right now.

[Butch Wilmore]

There you go.

[Host 2]

You got me with the three.

[Host 3]

But listen to this.

[Host 2]

The Danger Zone got me screwed up.

[Host 3]

This is a true story. I was talking to Hunter. I was. We were reading your Wikipedia page because we're great researchers here. And I said, man, I was reading some of your stuff. Like, this dude's like, Danger Zone. And I get up and I walk out, and then my phone heard me and just started playing. Is that right? It is dialed up right now.

[Butch Wilmore]

One of the fourth greatest songs ever made. The fourth.

[Host 1]

Number four. Number four.

[Host 3]

Number four. This is amazing size.

[Host 2]

What is playing in my head right now is. Is gunships in Vietnam.

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, my.

[Host 2]

And hey. And we got the rock and roll music on, baby.

[Host 3]

I was like, what do you have? What are your opinion on Fortunate Son and Forrest Gump? Oh, this is unbelievable.

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, my.

[Host 3]

I know where we gotta go from here.

[Host 2]

I knew this was gonna be.

[Host 3]

I'm gonna ask it it.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 3]

Because there's certain people. Probably Hunter, not definitely not me. What would you say? People that look at NASA and say, did we really go to the moon? Did we really go to the Moon.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

In your opinion.

[Host 3]

He just said, yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

So think about this. More than 400,000 people worked on the lunar program back in the 60s and 70s. 400,000. Not one single person came forward and said it was not real. Okay, Every. I mean, yes, we went to the moon. We absolutely did. But I understand why people will be skeptical because trust is everything, right? It's absolutely everything. And governments have lied. Right. And you lose trust. And you lose trust. And because of that, when you have something as grandiose as this and the reason, you know, the Cold War and beating the Russians and all that, I can understand why people would be skeptical. But I can tell you we did. We absolutely went to the moon.

[Host 2]

My 12 year old, I always kidded everybody about there's an area 51 and that's, that's where they shoot all this stuff about going to the moon and stuff.

[Butch Wilmore]

There is an Area 51, but they're not shooting.

[Host 3]

Have you been there?

[Butch Wilmore]

I can neither confirm nor deny.

[Host 1]

Yeah, he's been there.

[Host 2]

Hey, he's under old stuff.

[Host 1]

He's been there. He's flown air patrol over the top of it.

[Butch Wilmore]

I can neither confirm nor.

[Host 2]

Yeah, he's got a top secret clearance he cannot discuss yesterday.

[Host 3]

That's crazy. Whenever.

[Host 1]

That's where you go, pick up that

[Host 3]

jacket, you don't get that jacket.

[Host 1]

You don't get that jacket.

[Butch Wilmore]

It.

[Host 1]

That's where the ceremony is. Like, we're going to give away a green jacket in Augusta. You want that jacket, you got to go to Area 51.

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, my.

[Host 3]

That's about. That's. This is amazing. My son has a different answer when

[Host 2]

I say to get that jacket, you got to serve.

[Host 3]

I'm into that.

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, yeah.

[Host 2]

And serve a lot.

[Host 1]

Yeah. But my answer was funnier.

[Host 2]

Well, hey. I'm just saying.

[Host 3]

Hey.

[Host 2]

No.

[Host 3]

My 12 year old who loves all things NASA and space and stuff. If, If I tell him, I was like, are you sure we landed on the moon? He'll go, dad, read a book, his answers. And I'm also like, dang. He's probably right.

[Butch Wilmore]

We did. We. Absolutely.

[Host 1]

I just, I struggle with it sometimes because it's 20, 26 and I still got places where I don't have cell phone service.

[Host 3]

But we're happy. So I went to NASA like three or four years ago, and they're like, we're going back. And there was all this stuff. I was like, okay, I'm in on this. And now it's today.

[Butch Wilmore]

It's today.

[Host 3]

Lord willing and good Lord, which Wilmore is here in the flesh. And it's.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Butch Wilmore]

Lord willing.

[Host 1]

Yeah, man.

[Host 3]

That's cool. Unbelievable. All right, so, space movies.

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh, no doubt. Number one.

[Host 3]

Yes.

[Butch Wilmore]

Without question. And I'll tell you why. Rogue One, the reason Hunter.

[Host 3]

Hunter loves movies.

[Butch Wilmore]

Let me tell you about it. Rogue One, the visuals. It starts out with a spacecraft coming through the rings of Saturn pattern. I mean, that's. That's the first scene. And then it goes from there. And as you go through the process of the movie, what happens? Absolutely. Everybody dies. Everybody.

[Host 3]

This is true.

[Butch Wilmore]

There's not a better movie ever made. It is amazing.

[Host 3]

Hunter. We win, man.

[Butch Wilmore]

It is amazing.

[Host 3]

We win today. I thought he was gonna say Armageddon.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, he went so much cooler, I

[Host 1]

thought he was gonna say October.

[Host 3]

October sky.

[Host 2]

I would love to know what that. That planet looks like.

[Butch Wilmore]

So would I. So would I. I've got a video.

[Host 2]

Hey. Weather is so bad up there. Okay. That you can't see nothing. It's all cloudy.

[Host 3]

So he just casually dropped that. He has a video on his phone of a flying by. Jupiter.

[Butch Wilmore]

Saturn.

[Host 3]

Saturn.

[Butch Wilmore]

Sorry, got. I got jumper there, too.

[Host 1]

I felt like there's a Uranus joke now.

[Butch Wilmore]

I didn't fly by. These are other space. I wasn't on them.

[Host 3]

Yeah, we don't know that since you're way close. I know. Hey, I know.

[Host 2]

We're not what he's talking about.

[Host 3]

They're not that. You're closer than I'm ever getting.

[Host 2]

Hey, they've had that on TV about that. It went by.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, okay.

[Host 2]

And they took pictures of it.

[Host 3]

Pbs, baby.

[Host 2]

Amen.

[Host 1]

Look, sometimes you get so familiar with something, it's easy to take it for granted, to forget what it actually costs. Y' all know that we believe the story of Easter is the most beautiful story ever told. And we definitely don't want to cruise past the importance of what Jesus did that day. So what if this year, you slowed down and considered the crucifixion from a new perspective? That's actually the idea behind Tim Tebow's new book, if the Tree Could Speak. It tells the story of the crucifixion from a perspective you've never heard before. The cross itself. It's one of those books that makes you stop and think, really, what that day was like.

[Host 3]

It's a really cool book, man. It's got great illustrations. It's hard to find a favorite part of the crucifixion besides the Resurrection, because without the Resurrection, you know, we're all hopeless. But on page 102, it says the last morning was Different. The sun came up fast. I saw some men running and heard someone ask did you hear the news? The stone is rolled away. No one's inside. It's empty today.

[Host 1]

It is a great gift to add to your kids Easter basket. It's an easy read, right? And it. It just helps you see it from a different perspective. This book gives you a fresh way to see it. You'll reflect, think, and deepen your faith. This is more than just a book. It's a meaningful way to prepare your heart and revisit the story of Easter in a new way. This one's worth checking out. You'll see the crucifixion differently than ever before. If the Tree Could Speak by Tim Tebow is available now on Amazon. Order your copy today. Wow.

[Host 2]

This has answered a little doubt I may have had about things.

[Host 1]

I still got more. What'd y' all eat up there?

[Host 3]

Martin's like, everything we could.

[Host 1]

Everything you had. Yeah.

[Host 3]

I'm gonna go ahead and say it.

[Host 2]

I know.

[Host 3]

Some ice cream sandwiches in the NASA gift shop are legit.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I know this.

[Host 3]

Well, if they're sending those up there, I'm like, okay, that's better.

[Butch Wilmore]

They don't send them.

[Host 2]

They had to catch it floating first before they get in.

[Butch Wilmore]

I know. No, no, no. Maybe back in the 70s.

[Host 3]

I got an issue. They don't send the ice cream sandwiches with you.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, we don't get.

[Host 2]

Oh, I'd be in trouble. That has to suit my moon. My moon bars.

[Host 1]

But serious. What can you eat? Is it all, like, MRE style stuff?

[Butch Wilmore]

There's MREs and there's actually we. If you launch dehydrated food, it's lighter, so you want to launch it as light as possible. So we rehydrate a lot of it. Brussels, that's after you.

[Host 1]

Like, where do you get water to rehydrate it?

[Butch Wilmore]

Well, let me think about Timmy. Do you drink coffee?

[Host 1]

No.

[Butch Wilmore]

You know, I don't either.

[Host 1]

No, neither. I'm not old now.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, I don't. I'm not. Anyway, so today's drink, whatever you drink, is tomorrow's drink.

[Host 2]

Oh, no.

[Butch Wilmore]

You drink, you process, you expel.

[Host 1]

Wow.

[Butch Wilmore]

We collect that expel. We separate the good urine from the bad urine. The bad urine we put in containers and save it, and eventually it comes back on cargo spacecraft.

[Host 1]

Oh, seems like you could just let that go.

[Butch Wilmore]

The good part, we process. Exactly. With high energy and filters, and we drink it tomorrow.

[Host 1]

So you go up there.

[Butch Wilmore]

Well hydrated, then it is the best tasting water I've ever Tasted. Tasted. I'm glad I wasn't part of the process during the. During the, you know, the testing. But now that it's done, it is great.

[Host 3]

Yeah. Because you already said you're eating asparagus. Like, I'm like, whoa.

[Host 1]

Yeah. You think I'd have a little mustiness to it.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Butch Wilmore]

But the bad part of the urine, the brine, we call it brine, we can keep in these big metal containers, and we store those until the cargo spacecraft eventually departs. And these cargo spacecraft are the ones that. That burn up in the atmosphere, so we fill it full of trash. And also this urine, this brine, this bad part of the urine, so it burns up in the atmosphere.

[Host 1]

So real Joe Dirt situation.

[Butch Wilmore]

Rain is not always what you think it is, right?

[Host 1]

Yeah. Don't stick your tongue out for a snowflake.

[Host 2]

Right?

[Host 1]

Yeah. Yeah. That's a real Joe Dirt thing. Shoot a bottle rocket at it.

[Butch Wilmore]

I'd like to have a scan of your brain. Where's all this stuff coming from?

[Host 1]

I keep a bunch of it back here. I am full of useless knowledge, nothing meaningful. Like you up here.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Like five miles a second.

[Host 3]

I used to think I was good at math until today.

[Host 1]

Wow. No, that's cool. I just like thinking about that kind of stuff. Yeah. You know, you wonder, like, do you get to go take a space Boop. Like, you know, just open the door.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, we.

[Host 3]

Hold on. That man has spent 32 hours in space. Not in a spacecraft, just outside.

[Host 1]

What do you do out there?

[Butch Wilmore]

Diaper.

[Host 1]

Diaper?

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah. You take care of the solid stuff ahead of time. You plan. You plan your day accordingly. You don't want to be doing that.

[Host 3]

You don't want. You open the hatch without a plan.

[Host 1]

I'm just saying. I'm pretty sure when the hatch opens, I'm going to do that.

[Host 3]

That's.

[Host 1]

That's all I'm saying. When the door opens and the outside is that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to do that.

[Host 3]

They got a toe strap tied to your back.

[Host 2]

This ain't no volunteer. This is going to happen.

[Host 1]

Yeah. What could go wrong, Right? Yeah. I'm just saying. When the door opens, I'm pretty sure I'm going to do that. I don't think I can get enough of that out of me.

[Host 3]

After the launch, I'd never be able to do that again. I did that at Epcot.

[Host 2]

Oh.

[Host 1]

Oh, my.

[Host 3]

I'm joking. Don't kick me out.

[Host 2]

When you land on the car, how fast are y' all going? When that hook catches Catches it.

[Butch Wilmore]

It varies, of course, the carrier. You're getting wind over the deck, so the relative speed is probably in the neighborhood of 150 miles an hour, roughly. And of course, you grab the cable and you stop in 300ish feet. 270, 300ft. So you, you stop very quickly.

[Host 2]

The takeoff is like 300ft, because I know they don't go very far.

[Butch Wilmore]

No, it's, it's, it's less than that. It's probably a little less than that. But you're going from, you know, relatively 0 to 180 knots, 100, 200 miles an hour in 1.8 seconds.

[Host 3]

I really appreciate you looking me in that after you said, this boy, don't know what that is, and switched it straight to miles per hour. Well, needed the math, man. There.

[Host 1]

What's your thoughts on the metric system? Yeah, did we use that? Would it make life a lot easier?

[Butch Wilmore]

I, yeah, we grew up. Standard system. I'm all standard.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I know. I was just curious.

[Butch Wilmore]

But yeah, I mean, operating around the carrier, I tell you day to day to day, if, if I can only live, only do one profession. Naval aviator or flying space. I'm a naval aviator. I mean, that's what I, that's if people, people describe me professionally, they say, he's an astronaut, but I say I'm a naval aviator. If somebody were to ask and if I can only do one, I'd, I'd operate off aircraft carriers.

[Host 1]

That's the most exhilarating.

[Butch Wilmore]

It's not that. It's not the exhilaration. It is exhilarating. It's not that, though. It's, I think, operating from and training for the pointing of the spear in defense of your country. Projecting power, dissuade evil. There's nothing that matches it. Well, not even spaceflight.

[Host 2]

That's why I said the jacket.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yep. Right. That's why I wore it.

[Host 1]

That's cool, man. That's. Well, there's no, there's not a word that really justifies it. But, but would you classify yourself as an adrenaline junkie?

[Butch Wilmore]

No.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Butch Wilmore]

Not at all.

[Host 1]

Because you do some pretty, because, you know, adrenaline dump things.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's why in the business.

[Host 2]

Oh, see, I, I, I'm crazy in this way. All the guys and women that serve our nation, they love this country.

[Host 1]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Host 2]

Okay. Because that's why they're doing it.

[Butch Wilmore]

It's about the mission. 100%. The mission focuses on the mission.

[Host 2]

I got. My whole body is a goosebump.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, there's, there's, there's other things that come into play. But the focus is the mission. Every mission. I flew the space missions and leading up to the Starliner mission, the focus was always the mission. You got to do other stuff. The guys that are launching today, they're doing a lot of different things. Their focus is on the mission.

[Host 1]

So you said you got two daughter. Is that what?

[Butch Wilmore]

Daughters.

[Host 1]

Daughters. That's awesome. So are they married and no college. College. Where are they going to college?

[Butch Wilmore]

East Texas Baptist. The oldest.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Butch Wilmore]

There in Marshall, Texas. And then my youngest. Is it Stephen F. Austin. Oh, Nacogdoches.

[Host 1]

Oh, okay. Neighbors. Yeah, we're all neighbors close by.

[Host 3]

Are you.

[Host 2]

Where are you in Houston?

[Butch Wilmore]

I've got a place in Tennessee, but yeah, Houston, we've. We're still there. Well, I just left NASA in January, so.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, we haven't left. Plus we got girls in school in Texas. My wife says she's not leaving yet.

[Host 3]

Yeah, I had to leave.

[Host 1]

I was just with the five folks of Academy Sports. So I know my way around the Houston area.

[Host 3]

I'm an Astros fan and I drive

[Host 1]

right by Stephen F. Austin to get there when I drive down here. So yeah, that's. No, I just like you know that's a. Both your daughters. So you had kids a little later in life? We did kind of like myself. I got 3 year old twin boys.

[Butch Wilmore]

Oh my. Yeah. Outstanding. Yeah that's a Love every moment, man.

[Host 1]

That's a rocket ship ride.

[Host 2]

Tell your. Your wife and your two daughters because they serve too.

[Butch Wilmore]

They do.

[Host 1]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Sure. We appreciate their service and that have

[Host 1]

been a weird phone call. Call and tell my kids like I'm not probably gonna be next year.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, we did that before I get home.

[Host 3]

That was. Do you like FaceTime up there? How's that?

[Butch Wilmore]

You know now last in. In the past. No. But now. Yeah. If there's correct satellite coverage I could on my iPad just connect with them and. And face to face. Yeah, it's great.

[Host 2]

Well, I hope your book does well.

[Butch Wilmore]

Thank you. Yeah, remember I figured, I figured it will got Hope for the now, Hope for Eternity.

[Host 3]

It's called called Stuck in Space and astronauts Hope through the Unexpected by Barry Butch Wilmore. I'm looking at it on Amazon right now. You can get it.

[Butch Wilmore]

Is there anywhere else butch wilmore.com that's what calm Amazon Kindle. We got an audio version that I that I spoke so yeah.

[Host 1]

So what's next? What's next?

[Host 3]

You should hear size books audio version folks.

[Host 2]

I haven't read it but I've talked to this Man. And hey, everything he said has really impacted me. And I told him he's my hero. And that's true. Okay. Pick up that book, read it. You'll get some good information from it.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah, indeed. Thank you. Thank you. Si.

[Host 1]

What's next for you? Where.

[Butch Wilmore]

Wherever the Lord leads. You know, I've been real quick. I've. I've a lifelong of dreams and things. Desires. Always want to do my Lord's will. Now, there's no other. No other thing other than just glorify my Lord and do his will, whatever that is.

[Host 1]

I got you. Well, Butch, we always close with a. A Bible verse.

[Butch Wilmore]

That's good.

[Host 1]

I would love. I would love to.

[Host 3]

Our listener, he got one. Boy, he raised his hand and excited.

[Host 1]

I would love to. To give you the honor of either your favorite verse or one that's been on your heart. I know we got, you know, the. The best weekend.

[Butch Wilmore]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

The worst and best weekend all in one coming this weekend.

[Butch Wilmore]

Amen. Resurrection. He is risen indeed.

[Host 1]

Amen. So whatever you like to leave the folks.

[Butch Wilmore]

John the Baptist disciples come to him and he say, hey, this guy, Jesus, he's baptizing, he's doing all his disciples, they're doing all this stuff. And John goes to them, turns to them and says, John 3:27. A man cannot receive even one thing unless it comes to him from heaven. And then he goes on to say, I must decrease. He must increase. Because he knew his role. He was the precursor. A man cannot receive even one thing unless it comes to him from heaven. I'm the proclaimer.

[Host 2]

I'm the proclaimer. The guy you're looking for, that's him. He ain't here yet.

[Host 3]

And he's coming. And it's really powerful hearing you come up with that verse saying it all comes from him. Because the joke I made to these guys before you got here was if we introduce him by his awards and honors on this website, it's going to take a while.

[Host 1]

It would be the first whole segment.

[Host 3]

And so to hear someone like you, who's. Who's got military awards, one thing, football awards, all this stuff to say it all comes from him.

[Butch Wilmore]

It does.

[Host 1]

But you know what I've noticed about those people?

[Host 2]

People.

[Host 1]

Those people that have that attitude, that list of awards gets a lot longer. That's why they're that long.

[Host 3]

That's a good point.

[Host 1]

That is the reason that those list of awards.

[Butch Wilmore]

To God be the glory. Thank y'. All.

[Host 1]

Amen.

[Butch Wilmore]

For this opportunity.

[Host 1]

Thank you so much, too.

[Host 3]

I can't wait.

[Host 1]

Yeah. No, I'm buying it.

[Butch Wilmore]

Outstanding. Outstanding.

[Host 1]

All right, we'll see y' all next time, right here in the duck call room. We're out,

[Host 2]

Sam.