![\"NASA's](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/boeing-crew-flight-test\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/361\/2024\/04\/Butch-and-Suni-Official-photo.jpg\")
Let\u2019s get to know the two NASA astronauts<\/a> flying Boeing\u2019s Starliner spacecraft for the first time as part of the agency\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission.<\/p>\n Butch Wilmore<\/a> is the commander of tonight\u2019s mission. Previously, he was a fighter pilot, U.S. Navy captain, and completed two other spaceflights for Expedition 41 in 2014 and for STS-129 for space shuttle Atlantis in 2009. Wilmore has logged 178 days in space. He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in July 2000.<\/p>\n Outside of his current mission, he serves as pastor and leads weekly Bible studies and participates in mission trips throughout South and Central America to assist medical professionals.<\/p>\n Wilmore grew up in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor\u2019s degree and master\u2019s degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, before graduating with another master\u2019s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is also a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland. He is married and has two children.<\/p>\n Suni Williams<\/a> is the pilot of the Starliner spacecraft and is the first woman to fly on the first flight of a crewed spacecraft. She is also a retired U.S. Navy captain and completed two spaceflight missions \u2013 Expeditions 14\/15 in 2006 and 32\/33 in 2012. Williams has logged 322 days in space. She became a NASA astronaut in 1998.<\/p>\n While not training for NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test, Williams spends time with her two rescue Labrador retrievers, Gunner and Rotor. She plans to bring their dogs tags to the space station while on the week-long mission.<\/p>\n Williams graduated with her bachelor\u2019s degree in physical science from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, before obtaining her master\u2019s degree in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne. In total, she has logged more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft.<\/p>\n Williams grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. She is married and enjoys working on cars, homes, and airplanes.<\/p>\n Liftoff remains on schedule for 10:34 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.<\/p>\n Learn more about NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test by following the mission<\/a> blog, the commercial crew blog<\/a>, @commercial_crew<\/a> on X, and commercial crew<\/a> on Facebook.<\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Elyna Niles-Carnes <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let\u2019s get to know the two NASA astronauts flying Boeing\u2019s Starliner spacecraft for the first time as part of the agency\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. Butch Wilmore is the commander of tonight\u2019s mission. Previously, he was a fighter pilot, U.S. Navy captain, and completed two other spaceflights for Expedition 41 in 2014 and for \u2026 Continue reading