Even being stuck in space for months won’t get your boss isn’t gonna pay you for overtime. Guess some things never change. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore recently returned to Earth after an extraordinary nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), only to find out that their extended stay in orbit won’t come with any overtime pay.
What began as a week-long journey quickly morphed into an impressive 286-day adventure due to Boeing Starliner thruster malfunctions.
While the duo was busy floating in microgravity, conducting experiments, and maintaining the ISS, they were also racking up quite the time in space—much longer than anyone had planned.
However, despite the added risks, like asteroids, meteors, and challenges of their extended mission, neither Williams nor Wilmore will receive any additional compensation for their time spent orbiting Earth.
Instead, they will continue to receive their standard government salaries, which range from $100,000 to $155,000 annually, along with a modest daily stipend of about $4 to $5.
This situation highlights a unique aspect of working for NASA: astronauts are driven by a sense of purpose and exploration rather than financial gain.
Ken Bowersox, a former astronaut and current associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, explained that astronauts are trained to focus on completing their missions, regardless of how long it takes, rather than worrying about when they’ll return home.
For Williams and Wilmore, the extended mission was all about continuing vital scientific research and contributing to the overarching goals of space exploration.
Naturally, once news broke about the lack of overtime compensation, the internet had a field day. One Instagram user quipped, “And I was angry because of 1 hour,” highlighting the stark contrast between typical workplace grievances and the extraordinary circumstances faced by astronauts.
