NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Their journey, originally planned for just one week, was extended to 286 days due to Boeing Starliner thruster malfunctions.
Despite the extended stay and the risks of spending more time in space than expected, Williams and Wilmore will not receive overtime or hazard pay. Instead, they will be paid their standard government salaries, which range between $100,000 and $155,000 annually, along with a small daily stipend of $4 to $5.
NASA astronauts work under a unique pay structure that does not include overtime or danger pay, unlike many other professions.
Read more: NASA Astronauts Stranded for Nine Months Set to Return
This situation highlights a key part of working at NASA – astronauts are driven by a sense of purpose and exploration rather than financial incentives.
As Ken Bowersox, NASA’s former astronaut and current associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, explained, astronauts are trained to focus on completing missions rather than worrying about their return date.
During their unexpectedly long stay, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore continued scientific research, maintained the ISS, and contributed to NASA’s space exploration goals.
Once news broke about them receiving no overtime pay, people reacted online. One Instagram user joked, “And I was angry because of 1 hour.”
In many industries, overtime work comes with higher pay or special bonuses. But NASA astronauts remain dedicated to their mission, even when they do not receive extra compensation.
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