A Message from Outer Space

Dear Friends, as we are celebrating the 249^th birthday of our country, I thought it appropriate to note how transportation has evolved during these 249 years. We have moved from our horse and buggy days to today’s spaceship travel.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore during Suited EMER SIM Operations in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft simulator at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz).

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A Space Adventure

You most likely remember that on June 5, 2024, two U.S. astronauts, Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch“ Wilmore headed to the International Space Station (ISS) for what was expected to be a week-long test flight in their handy-dandy, ready-to-go Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

Life being what it is, the original plan that they would return within a week was scrapped due to some concerns about the Starliner’s thrusters and a possible helium leak.

NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) main concern is and continues to be safety for Suni and Butch and all of their teams. Thus, Sunni and Butch ended up spending almost nine months at the International Space Station. 286 days to be exact, where they kept busy conducting experiments, fixing equipment, and even spacewalking. Suni Williams actually set a record for a female astronaut; 62 hours over nine spacewalks. Suni was also the Space Commander.

Along with one other U.S. astronaut, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut, Alexander Gorbunov, Suni and Butch splashed down in a Space X Dragon capsule off the Florida coast on March 18, 2025, as dolphins surrounded the ship for a personal “welcome home.” Even the dolphins missed them! Huge smiles were seen as they each exited the capsule, assisted by NASA staff on the recovery ship.

During those nine months, a Zoom prayer group to which I belong sort of “adopted” Suni and Butch. There was something very “tangible” about Suni and Butch being in Outer Space and we here on Earth. The Mystery of Life, Relationships, and Connectedness. We felt connected with them and prayed each Friday morning for them, for their safety, and for their families who no doubt not only missed them but worried about them.

We were not the only group holding them in prayer. 21 Hindu Temples in the U.S. prayed for Suni and Butch. Suni is Hindu. Prayers also came from Butch’s Baptist Church in Houston where he serves as an elder.

While I was impressed with how Suni and Butch adjusted to an extended stay at the International Space Station – pitching in and accomplishing important scientific work and research – what really impressed me were their statements when they arrived back to Earth.

Left: Illustration of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (Image credit: Boeing). Top Right: The seven Expedition 71 crew members gather with Crew Flight Test astronauts, Suni and Butch (lower left and right) aboard the ISS (Credit: NASA). Lower right: NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch and Suni inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft (Credit: NASA).

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Back to Earth

One of the first things that Butch “righted” was that he and Suni were not stuck or stranded. Butch changed the narrative to “prepared and committed.”

Following their time with NASA medical personnel to make sure they were physically ready for re-entry into everyday life, they participated in a lengthy press conference hosted by NASA. Members of the U.S. press corps as well as press from other countries participated. Both Suni and Butch continued to stress that being a part of the NASA team, with its hundreds of ground staff, NASA controls, ground leadership, is one unified operation. Space exploration and travel takes a team. Time and time again during the press conference they stressed consistently that when you join the NASA team you are trained and prepared for the “unexpecteds.” 

For me personally, two statements that were made, one by Suni and one by Butch, reminded me and illustrated for me once again what genuine, responsible adult leadership looks like. So refreshing. Did not realize how much I was missing “adult leadership.”

In answer to a question asked by the press corps of what message did Suni want to give to her audience, especially young people, Suni replied that it is important to have goals, to have a sense of where you want to go, but getting there does not unfold in a clear, straight line. “It’s a curvy road.” [paraphrase] Both Suni and Butch, throughout the press conference, continued to stress that space work, space travel, the experiments they are conducting – all of that is “hard work.” And it’s a “curvy road.” It takes time, effort, delays, and a lot of experimenting. And they love it. That was apparent.

One of the most significant points that Butch made when asked whose fault it was that there were problems with the Dreamliner Spacecraft, consistently Butch stressed they were all responsible. Butch said he was responsible for not asking more questions; leadership was responsible; Boeing was responsible. Butch refused to point the finger at anyone. It was a collective experience and collectively they would be looking at what went wrong. Suni and Butch have already or will be meeting with Boeing to discuss concerns and what can be improved.

I share this experience with you on the approach of the 249th birthday of our country to remind all of us of what true, adult leadership looks like.

Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are two Americans who witness to me courage, dedication, intelligence, integrity, common sense; a love for life, a love for their country, a love for space exploration; and a sense of humor. They feel privileged to be members of the United States Astronaut Corps.

I close with a quip from Suni. Some of the press corps were endeavoring to get both Suni and Butch to say something political, to no avail. They simply said there is no politics at the Space Station. (Do recall that they had a Russian cosmonaut, Alexander Gorbunov, working with them; part of the team.)

Suni’s reply was simply: 

“When you are in space the world does not revolve around you, you revolve around the world!”  

Thank you, Suni and Butch! 

And Blessings on our country. May we continue to open our hearts and our borders to all who seek safety and refuge.  

Bridget