Astronauts’ 9‑month space ordeal ends with promise of extra pay
Astronauts whose stay on the International Space Station (ISS) was extended by 278 days due to malfunctions and delays will receive overtime pay, announced US President Donald Trump on Friday. He added that if necessary, he will pay them out of his own pocket.
According to NASA rules, Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore are not entitled to overtime pay and only receive an allowance of $5 per day to cover unforeseen expenses while on assignment, reported the "New York Times" on Thursday.
This means that in addition to the basic salary of approximately $152,000 per year, Wilmore and Williams received about $1,430 for the 286 days they spent in space, according to the "NYT".
Additional pay for astronauts
Trump assured, however, that the astronauts would be compensated for the additional time spent on the space station. "If I have to, I'll pay it out of my own pocket. I will get for them," he said, as quoted by the AP.
In June of last year, Williams and Wilmore flew to space on Boeing's Starliner craft's first mission. They were supposed to stay for eight days, but issues with the propulsion system, including helium leaks and engine failures, delayed their arrival. After 286 days, they finally returned to Earth last week.
