Wilmore, 62, and astronaut Suni Williams gained a lot of media attention when their 10-day Boeing Starliner test flight turned into a nine-month stay on the International Space Station after lifting off on June 5, 2024, and returning aboard a SpaceX Dragon on March 18.
"From my earliest days, I have been captivated by the marvels of creation, looking upward with insatiable curiosity," Wilmore said in a NASA news release announcing his retirement.
"This curiosity propelled me into the skies and eventually to space, where the magnificence of the cosmos mirrored the glory of its creator in ways words can scarcely convey," Wilmore continued.
"Even as I ventured beyond Earth's limits, I remained attuned to the beauty and significance of the world below," he added, "recognizing the same intricate design evidence among the stars is also woven into the fabric of life at home."
Wilmore flew several spacecraft for NASA and accumulated 464 days in space, according to the space agency.
He also has flown many types of tactical aircraft as a decorated captain with the U.S. Navy who flew peacetime and combat missions while deployed aboard four aircraft carriers during his military career.
Wilmore was graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and served as a test pilot before becoming an astronaut in 2000.
"Butch's commitment to NASA's mission and dedication to human space exploration is truly exemplary," Johnson Space Center Director Steve Koerner said.
"His lasting legacy of fortitude will continue to impact and inspire the Johnson workforce, future explorers and the nation for generations," Koerner added.
"On behalf of NASA's Johnson Space Center, we thank Butch for his service."
Wilmore completed three missions aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, Roscosmos Soyuz and the Boeing Starliner, according to NASA.
"His mastery of complex systems, coupled with his adaptability and steadfast commitment to NASA's mission, has inspired us all," said Joe Acaba, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Wilmore is a Tennessee native who earned a bachelor's and master's in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University and a master's in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee.
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