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Stuck in Space: An Astronaut's Hope Through the Unexpected
An astronaut’s story of God’s providence in unexpected places, showing how the Lord prepares us long before the world ever sees us carrying out our calling.
Long before his story ever reached outer space, God was already writing it on solid ground.
Years later, Captain Barry “Butch” Wilmore would fight to steady Boeing’s Starliner during its perilous first crewed mission. When multiple system failures during approach to the International Space Station nearly cost him and his crewmate their lives, he had already walked through seasons of testing that taught him where true security comes from. Closed doors that redirected his Navy path, combat flights that demanded courage under pressure, the refining blessing of marriage, and the relentless discipline of test-flight preparation all formed a foundation of trust in a sovereign God who works out His will in every situation.
When a mission planned for eight days stretched into nearly a year, Butch wasn’t sustained by circumstance; he was steadied by calling. Stuck in Space is not the record of a crisis survived but a testimony of divine providence, a reminder that what feels unexpected to us is never unexpected to God. Through personal stories, gentle humor, middle-Tennessee charm, and deep biblical conviction, Butch invites readers to see that trials are not detours from God’s will but often the very means by which He prepares us.
More than a memoir of a journey to space and back, this is a story of how a faithful God shapes His people long before the watching world ever sees the outcome.
Long before his story ever reached outer space, God was already writing it on solid ground.
Years later, Captain Barry “Butch” Wilmore would fight to steady Boeing’s Starliner during its perilous first crewed mission. When multiple system failures during approach to the International Space Station nearly cost him and his crewmate their lives, he had already walked through seasons of testing that taught him where true security comes from. Closed doors that redirected his Navy path, combat flights that demanded courage under pressure, the refining blessing of marriage, and the relentless discipline of test-flight preparation all formed a foundation of trust in a sovereign God who works out His will in every situation.
When a mission planned for eight days stretched into nearly a year, Butch wasn’t sustained by circumstance; he was steadied by calling. Stuck in Space is not the record of a crisis survived but a testimony of divine providence, a reminder that what feels unexpected to us is never unexpected to God. Through personal stories, gentle humor, middle-Tennessee charm, and deep biblical conviction, Butch invites readers to see that trials are not detours from God’s will but often the very means by which He prepares us.
More than a memoir of a journey to space and back, this is a story of how a faithful God shapes His people long before the watching world ever sees the outcome.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
About the author
Barry "Butch" Wilmore
2 books2 followersBarry "Butch" Wilmore, U.S. Navy Captain and NASA Astronaut, has logged 464 days in space across three missions. A Tennessee native, he is a decorated Naval Aviator with more than 8,000 flight hours and 663 carrier landings. He piloted Space Shuttle Atlantis, commanded the International Space Station, and led Boeing's Starliner.
Unashamed of his deep faith in Jesus Christ, Butch speaks around the world on perseverance, leadership, and God's majesty in creation. He and his wife, Deanna, have two daughters, Daryn and Logan.
Unashamed of his deep faith in Jesus Christ, Butch speaks around the world on perseverance, leadership, and God's majesty in creation. He and his wife, Deanna, have two daughters, Daryn and Logan.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 28, 2026
What a fantastic book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Stuck in Space” and I really appreciate the way the author pulls on the thread of divine sovereignty through the flashbacks and “count down.” I wondered if it would come together as I read it, but it’s one of those things you wonder as it happens, but then are able to look back and appreciate the masterpiece that it is… a very well written memoir!
March 29, 2026
I appreciated the blending of his NASA work and life experiences. Especially how he pointed to God with all of it.
April 14, 2026
This is not the book you think it is, if you’re interested in the dynamics of the doomed Starliner launch/extended stay/return. Less than 20% of the book deals with anything about Boeing or Starliner. But if you enjoy being called a “wretched sinner” every other chapter, this one’s for you! Also, Butch only mentions Sunni once - yes once - the entire book. Almost like she wasn’t there. Because she is a Hindu? Or a woman? Probably both. Very disappointing.
April 25, 2026
I purchased and read this book (Kindle Edition) in hopes of gaining a more detailed understanding of the actual event that stranded Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the ISS for over nine months. NASA and the federal government have been somewhat less than forthcoming regarding the entire episode (although the new NASA director, Jared Isaacman, has begun to shine a light on exactly what happened and the level of danger that truly existed). For that reason, I hoped that Butch's book would give an honest, concise first-hand account, thereby putting forward some answers to the questions that still linger.
Sadly, this book does virtually nothing to enlighten the reader about the facts. Instead, it makes a disjointed attempt at biographical narrative about all-things Barry "Butch" Wilmore, from his youth, through his college, his Navy career, gaining his aviator status. Yet the vast majority of the book is dedicated to non-stop proselytizing about his faith. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge anyone their faith. In fact, I too am a Christian. But, in my estimation, at least 50-60% of the narrative deals with his Christian faith, preaching about the salvation from our "wretched", sinful nature by accepting Christ as one's Lord and Savior, and submitting to His sovereign plan. Again, I say, good for Butch, that he knows his faith and practices such. But I did not purchase this book to be preached at. I bought the book to be educated about the details of a significant event in America's manned space history.
Ironically, Butch talks at length about many hucksters who use "click bait" to gain views and thereby generate income by misleading people with titles which on their surface, promise one thing but deliver something altogether different. Sadly, Butch is guilty of employing this very method by choosing a tantalizing title like, "Stuck in Space: An Astronaut's Hope Through the Unexpected", when in fact, we get only a few morsels of information about the event. Instead, the reader is treated to about 40% biography, 50% proselytizing about his faith, and 10% about the event itself, with little to no recounting or data that is enlightening beyond what is already in the public domain. In fact, he only even mentions his partner, Suni Williams ONCE throughout the entire book! Seriously? Does that sound like a comprehensive narrative about one of the most concerningly flawed and therefore risky spaceflights since the two shuttle disasters and Apollo 13?
Suffice it to say that I cannot in good faith recommend this book. And that saddens me because I had high hopes, having purchased this book before its release date with great anticipation. I suspect that in time there will be books that do a proper job of relating the details of this flawed spaceflight in a flawed capsule. This fails that aspiration miserably. I'd highly recommend that you wait for those.
Sadly, this book does virtually nothing to enlighten the reader about the facts. Instead, it makes a disjointed attempt at biographical narrative about all-things Barry "Butch" Wilmore, from his youth, through his college, his Navy career, gaining his aviator status. Yet the vast majority of the book is dedicated to non-stop proselytizing about his faith. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge anyone their faith. In fact, I too am a Christian. But, in my estimation, at least 50-60% of the narrative deals with his Christian faith, preaching about the salvation from our "wretched", sinful nature by accepting Christ as one's Lord and Savior, and submitting to His sovereign plan. Again, I say, good for Butch, that he knows his faith and practices such. But I did not purchase this book to be preached at. I bought the book to be educated about the details of a significant event in America's manned space history.
Ironically, Butch talks at length about many hucksters who use "click bait" to gain views and thereby generate income by misleading people with titles which on their surface, promise one thing but deliver something altogether different. Sadly, Butch is guilty of employing this very method by choosing a tantalizing title like, "Stuck in Space: An Astronaut's Hope Through the Unexpected", when in fact, we get only a few morsels of information about the event. Instead, the reader is treated to about 40% biography, 50% proselytizing about his faith, and 10% about the event itself, with little to no recounting or data that is enlightening beyond what is already in the public domain. In fact, he only even mentions his partner, Suni Williams ONCE throughout the entire book! Seriously? Does that sound like a comprehensive narrative about one of the most concerningly flawed and therefore risky spaceflights since the two shuttle disasters and Apollo 13?
Suffice it to say that I cannot in good faith recommend this book. And that saddens me because I had high hopes, having purchased this book before its release date with great anticipation. I suspect that in time there will be books that do a proper job of relating the details of this flawed spaceflight in a flawed capsule. This fails that aspiration miserably. I'd highly recommend that you wait for those.
April 9, 2026
This is a great memoir of an astronaut with unique experiences. He and Suni Williams are the only two astronauts to have flown the Starliner space capsule. They are also likely the last as the multiple thruster failures of the spacecraft led to post-flight rating of a Class A Mishap by NASA. Butch and Suni are the only astronauts to have survived such a classification. Wilmore is also one the few astronauts to have flown in four different space craft (Space Shuttle, Soyuz, Starliner, and Dragon) and landed back on Earth in three different ways - coasting down a runway, parachuting onto dry land, and parachuting into the Atlantic.
Wilmore regales the reader of several stories from his childhood and adult life. The importance of his faith in Jesus in guiding his life permeates his book. The structure of the book itself is very engaging as each chapter tells a part of the fateful day of the Starliner flight and attempted docking to the International Space Station, which builds up to the climatic final chapter.
This books is highly recommended for all space nerds, such as me. You likely won’t find many books about Starliner so this work is a rare look behind the scenes of this particular spacecraft.
Wilmore regales the reader of several stories from his childhood and adult life. The importance of his faith in Jesus in guiding his life permeates his book. The structure of the book itself is very engaging as each chapter tells a part of the fateful day of the Starliner flight and attempted docking to the International Space Station, which builds up to the climatic final chapter.
This books is highly recommended for all space nerds, such as me. You likely won’t find many books about Starliner so this work is a rare look behind the scenes of this particular spacecraft.
May 1, 2026
I had the pleasure of meeting Captain Wilmore and hearing him speak and I was wowed. I was so excited he wrote a book because I wanted to hear the ins and outs of being "stuck" in space and what was going through his mind and the minds of his family, what they did up there, etc.
Instead, the getting stuck in space part is barely mentioned, it's seriously like a chapter, and I don't think he even once mentioned Sunni. And after all the build up he basically says they were never "stuck" and everything was hunky dory because it was all ordained.
The bulk of the book is just stories from his military days where he goes incredibly in depth into military terms, so much so I had a problem understanding what was even going on as he wrote about flying, firefights, etc. The same goes for his writing about what happened when the ship malfunctioned. I literally have no idea what he's talking about.
But it all boils down to he had an easy childhood, God ordained where he would end up, and then he's in space, and then he's back. There was such a missed opportunity here. I'm sad I have to rate it so low because I respect him and he was the nicest guy but this book needed some serious editing.
Instead, the getting stuck in space part is barely mentioned, it's seriously like a chapter, and I don't think he even once mentioned Sunni. And after all the build up he basically says they were never "stuck" and everything was hunky dory because it was all ordained.
The bulk of the book is just stories from his military days where he goes incredibly in depth into military terms, so much so I had a problem understanding what was even going on as he wrote about flying, firefights, etc. The same goes for his writing about what happened when the ship malfunctioned. I literally have no idea what he's talking about.
But it all boils down to he had an easy childhood, God ordained where he would end up, and then he's in space, and then he's back. There was such a missed opportunity here. I'm sad I have to rate it so low because I respect him and he was the nicest guy but this book needed some serious editing.
April 23, 2026
“That’s what this book is ultimately about-one man discovering that all the events of his life are ordained by a loving God.” I enjoyed this book and reading about his relationship with Jesus and how God is always establishing our steps. Everything in our life happens out of God’s perfect will and I believe this is what was happening for the author’s life and everything he endured.
My reason for 4 stars is that I mainly wanted to hear about what happened for the 9ish months he was up in space. I also couldn’t really grasp some of the technical parts of this book and that made it difficult for me to read. Otherwise I really enjoyed it!
My reason for 4 stars is that I mainly wanted to hear about what happened for the 9ish months he was up in space. I also couldn’t really grasp some of the technical parts of this book and that made it difficult for me to read. Otherwise I really enjoyed it!
April 20, 2026
Enjoyed this one overall even if Wilmore isn’t the most polished writer. The non-linear structure made it a harder follow than it needed to be, and the actual stuck-in-space story doesn’t really show up until the final chapter. I was surprised how he barely mentioned Sunni. Still worth the read if you go in knowing it’s more faith memoir than space drama.
May 18, 2026
3.5
Interesting life story and I enjoyed hearing about his different experiences, but the story was disjointed and didn't focus much on his actual experience in space, mostly his faith journey and life events leading up to his space adventures. Some engaging sections, but also a lot of technical jargon that made my eyes glaze over a few times.
Interesting life story and I enjoyed hearing about his different experiences, but the story was disjointed and didn't focus much on his actual experience in space, mostly his faith journey and life events leading up to his space adventures. Some engaging sections, but also a lot of technical jargon that made my eyes glaze over a few times.
April 4, 2026
More about faith than outer space
More about his faith from his early life thru his military career and finally in the space program. All things pointed to God, the good the bad and the ugly, God used to prepare him for the tasks He had planned.
More about his faith from his early life thru his military career and finally in the space program. All things pointed to God, the good the bad and the ugly, God used to prepare him for the tasks He had planned.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews