Bill > SJR0309

This resolution welcomes Captain Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Captain Sunita "Suni" Williams back to Earth after their nearly 300-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), highlighting their extraordinary space journey. The astronauts, both retired U.S. Navy captains, originally launched on Boeing's Starliner for a short test flight in June 2024 but experienced technical issues that extended their stay. NASA kept them on the ISS to maintain staffing levels and eventually arranged their return via a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which landed off the Florida coast on March 18, 2025, after a seventeen-hour voyage. The resolution specifically notes Captain Wilmore's Tennessee connections, including degrees from Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee, and recognizes both astronauts' extensive flight experience, with Wilmore having over 8,000 flight hours and Williams having logged over 3,000 flight hours across thirty different aircraft types. The resolution commends their professionalism, dedication, and positive attitude during their prolonged space mission, formally welcoming them home and wishing them well in future endeavors.

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SJR0309&ga=114