When astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore launched their mission to the International Space Station in June 2024, they expected to spend just eight days in space. However, due to technical issues with their Boeing capsule—including a helium leak—their return to Earth has been delayed multiple times, and the mission has now stretched into months. NASA expects them to return home sometime in March.
Despite the delays, Williams and Wilmore have kept up with their duties, conducting experiments, spacewalks, and other routine operations while in space. The astronauts remain in good spirits, and NASA assures the public that their basic needs, like food and clothing, are well taken care of. In fact, Williams mentioned in a call, “It’s just been a joy to be working up here. It doesn’t feel like we’re cast away. Eventually, we want to go home, because we left our families a little while ago, but we have a lot to do while we’re up here.”
The situation, however, has caught the attention of the media, particularly when it comes to how much Williams and Wilmore will be paid for their extended stay in space. According to retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, astronauts are paid the same as any federal employee on a business trip. While they receive a salary, there is also a small daily allowance for incidentals.
Nasa
For Coleman, the allowance was around $4 (£3.19) per day. If this is the case for Williams and Wilmore, their total extra pay for the prolonged mission would be approximately $1,004 (£801.27).
Despite being in a challenging and unexpected situation, both astronauts remain focused on their work and are expected to return home once the Crew-10 mission can safely bring them back.
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