4 August 2025,
Monday
4 August 2025,
Monday
Sunita Williams Overtime: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who embarked on a mission initially planned for only eight days, were stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months due to technical difficulties. On 19 March, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth from the ISS after 9 months and 14 days. Meanwhile, their salary for this extended space journey became a topic of discussion, specifically whether they would receive overtime pay for their extended stay. Regarding this, US President Donald Trump stated that he would personally pay Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore for their extra time in space.
When asked about the astronauts' overtime, Trump said, "If I had to, I would pay them out of my own pocket, and I also want to thank Elon Musk, because imagine what would have happened if they weren't there."
NASA astronauts Wilmore and Williams receive a standard salary, similar to regular government employees. They work a 40-hour week and do not receive extra pay for overtime, weekends, or holidays. Last year, NASA astronauts earned over $152,000.
Astronauts are considered official government employees travelling on duty. Therefore, NASA covers their expenses such as transportation, accommodation, and food. Additionally, they receive a daily allowance for incidental expenses, currently set at $5 per day. Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days in space, entitling each to $1,430 in incidentals.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after spending 9 months and 14 days in space. The SpaceX Dragon Capsule carrying them completed the journey in 17 hours. Sunita and Butch landed in the water off the coast of Florida at 3:27 AM Indian Standard Time on March 19, 2025.
