Interviewing an Astronaut While in Space - Commander Butch Wilmore

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Life Aboard the Space Station

 

Guest:                         Barry Wilmore                       

From the series:       Life Aboard the Space Station (Day 1 of 1)

 

 

Bob: And welcome to FamilyLife Today. Thanks for joining us on the Friday edition. This could get a little tricky today. I’m not sure—

 

Houston: Hello, this is Houston Comm Tech. 

 

Dennis: This is Dennis Rainey with FamilyLife Today. 

 Bob: And Bob Lepine. Houston, can you hear us?  

 

Houston: I hear you very low. 

 

Bob: Low?  Not loud and clear?  

 

Houston: Okay, you’re coming in a little bit louder. Please standby.
 
 Bob: Do I need to say, “Over”?  

 

Houston: Okay, this is Comm Tech with a second voice-take on private three; now copy. 

 

Bob: Hi, Comm Tech. How’s the sound now?  Better?  

 

Houston: Sounds better. Please stand by for a moment. 

 

Bob: Okay. 

 

Dennis: Alright. 

 Bob: I’m getting the sense that you don’t make jokes with Houston Comm Tech or anybody else in Houston. 

 

Dennis: Well, we’re speaking to NASA. 

 

Bob: They are a little focused on the mission. 

 

Dennis: And folks, this is not a joke. That really is—

 

Bob: Yes. 

 

Dennis: —Houston NASA Control Center. 

 

Bob: And here is the thing. Some of our listeners recognize that, back last fall, we had the opportunity to have a conversation with Captain Barry Wilmore and his wife Deanna just before Barry blasted off from a launch pad in Russia—

 

1:00

 

Dennis: A Soyuz rocket. 

 

Bob: —going up to take command of the International Space Station, which is where he is today. 

 

Dennis: And we also recorded, without Deanna knowing, a 20th Anniversary greeting.
 
 Bob: Yes, Barry called us from the space station, back in early December—December 3rd was their anniversary—

 

Dennis: Right. 

 

Bob: —their 20th Anniversary. We had him, at the end of the program, sharing anniversary greetings. 

 

Dennis: And he sent me an email, after that happened, and said: “Dennis, thank you for allowing me to do that. My daughter actually took a video.” I don’t know how they do this, Bob—but they showed the video back to him on the space station. He is in the International Space Station, right now. He had a conversation—and he said, “My daughter showed my wife weeping—

 

Bob: As she listened?  

 

Dennis: —“as she listened to my 20th Anniversary greetings.” 

 

Bob: And we’re trying to work things out now. I think this is going to work, where Houston is setting us up so that we can talk to Captain Wilmore— 

 

2:00

 

Dennis: —on the International Space Station. 

 

Bob: Right. 

 

Dennis: He—

 

Barry: FamilyLife Today, hello. Hello, from the International Space Station. You guys out there?  

 Bob: Unbelievable!  Is it really you?  

 

Barry: Hi, Bob! Hi, Dennis!  

 

Bob: And how many bars do you have on your phone right now?  [Laughter]  

 Barry: Hopefully, enough!  

 

Dennis: Amazing!  

 Bob: It is amazing that we’re talking to you!  

 

Barry: Well, thank you all for your program—it’s fabulous. 

 

Dennis: Would you mind looking out your window and telling us what you’re seeing right now?  

 Barry: If I’m not mistaken—I didn’t look at a map—but if I’m not mistaken, based on what I’ve seen, I believe that’s Australia going by below me. 

 

Bob: Wow!  [Laughter]  

 

Dennis: Well, Butch, you’re looking at the earth as few men or women ever get a chance to see it. What’s a unique perspective you’ve had, just from outer space?  This is your second time to be in orbit. Any thoughts come to your mind as you glance at the globe of six billion people?  

 

Barry: Very interesting question. You know, when I was here before—when I flew five years ago—

 

3:00

 

—it was a shuttle mission. Shuttle missions were fast and furious—it was 11 days. I think the most time I ever had to stick my nose in the window was about 20 minutes. That really wasn’t long enough—it was wonderful—don’t get me wrong. But now, to have the opportunity to really, no kidding, poke my nose in the window for very extended periods of time, it’s truly amazing and truly breathtaking. It makes me in awe of my Lord and Savior and Creator—I mean—beyond words. 

 

I can’t explain—you can’t explain the view. You can’t—I mean, you can see pictures / you can see video—and they do a little bit to show what the beauty of the earth and the globe is from here; but to see it with your own eyes and realize that it’s controlled by a sovereign God—like I said, it’s beyond words. 

 

Bob: Tell us what a day is like onboard the Space Station. First of all, what time zone are you in?  

 

Barry: Yes, we work under GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, which is the same time as London. 

 

Before I answer that question—

 

4:00

 

—let me say that / I want it to be clear—it is an amazing place, and it’s an amazing view. It is an amazing thing to be here. I wake up every morning, and I float down the tube. I’m like: “Lord, I can’t believe I’m here. This is just amazing!  It’s thrilling.”  

 

But I did not need to come here to know my Lor...