Two NASA astronauts just spent way more time in space than expected, but despite the unusual circumstances, they won’t be getting a big bonus for it.
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams were originally set to stay at the International Space Station for just over a week. But when their ride home malfunctioned, their short trip turned into a nine-month stay.
They finally returned to Earth on March 18, landing in Florida with help from SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Given how long they were stranded, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume they’d receive extra pay for the inconvenience. But that’s not quite how it works.
Butch and Suni were meant to stay for just over a week
The plan was simple — spend about eight days at the ISS, complete their tasks, and return home. But things didn’t go as expected.
They ended up staying for nine months
Technical problems with their spacecraft kept delaying their return. One delay turned into another, and before they knew it, they had been up there for nine months — far beyond their original schedule.
Why they won’t receive overtime benefits
Most people would assume that an extended work trip like this would mean some serious overtime pay. But NASA’s payment system doesn’t work that way.
While they will still receive their salaries, there’s no extra compensation for the additional time they spent in space.
NASA’s payment structure doesn’t allow for overtime
Former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman explained to Washingtonian how astronaut pay works. They don’t get overtime, just their regular salary plus a small daily stipend for incidentals.
“There is some small amount of money per day for incidentals that they end up being legally obligated to pay you,” she said. “For me, it was around $4 a day.”
During her 159-day mission in 2010-11, this added up to about $636 — not exactly a huge sum.
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How much Butch and Suni will actually earn
For their extended stay, Butch and Suni will receive around $1,148 each in extra allowances. It’s not a life-changing amount, especially considering they spent nine extra months in space.
They still earn a substantial base salary
That being said, they aren’t exactly struggling financially. Both astronauts hold GS-15 rankings, the highest level on the US General Pay Schedule.
Their base salaries range from $125,133 to $162,672 per year. With the additional nine months they worked, their prorated earnings come out to roughly $93,850 to $122,004.
Adding in the incidental pay, their total earnings from the mission will be somewhere between $94,998 and $123,152.
It’s a solid salary, but not exactly a huge reward for an unexpected nine-month space mission.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure
Not many people can say they were stranded in space for almost a year. It’s an unusual and unforgettable experience, even if it wasn’t part of the original plan.
They’re just happy to be back home
In the end, the paycheck probably isn’t their biggest concern. When they finally splashed down in the ocean, they looked relieved and in good spirits.
After all, what matters most is that they made it home safely. Welcome back, Butch and Suni!
