NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth after spending over nine months in space, far exceeding their initial eight-day ISS mission. Despite their extended 278-day stay, they will not receive any overtime pay, as they are federal employees with a fixed salary. In response, former U.S. President Donald Trump humorously offered to pay them overtime “out of his own pocket.”
#WATCH | “I’ll pay them from my pocket if I have to…” US President Donald Trump on overtime pay of just $5 per day to NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore for spending 286 days in space@DonaldTrump @NASA pic.twitter.com/7KRFV8CL40
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) March 22, 2025
When asked about the NASA astronauts’ overtime pay, Trump responded, “No one has ever brought this up to me. If necessary, I’ll pay it from my own pocket.”
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For the unversed, NASA astronauts, as federal employees, do not receive extra pay for overtime, weekends, or holidays, even during extended space missions. Instead, they are provided transportation, meals, and a small daily allowance of $5 (₹416) for incidentals. After spending 286 days in space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will each receive an additional $1,430 (approx ₹1,18,969) on top of their annual salary, which ranges between $94,998 (approx ₹79,07,641) and $123,152 (approx ₹1,02,49,708).
Pres. Trump told reporters he would pay the calculated overtime owed to astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who returned home this week after spending nine months in space on what was supposed to be closer to a 10-day mission.
“If I have to, I’ll pay it pic.twitter.com/TNqARZnlVj
— William jr Jenkins (@DPablo6105) March 21, 2025
When informed about the “incidentals” astronauts receive, Trump expressed surprise, saying, “Is that all? That’s not a lot for what they had to go through.” During an Oval Office press conference, Trump thanked Elon Musk for helping bring the NASA astronauts back to Earth, noting that without Musk, they could have been stranded in space for much longer.
He said ,”If we don’t have Elon…They could be up there for a long time. Who else is going to get them? The body starts to deteriorate after 9-10 months in space. Think if we don’t have time? He’s (Elon Musk) is going through a lot right now.”
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth early Wednesday after spending over nine months aboard the ISS. They were flown back in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, splashing down off Florida’s coast. Visuals of the astronauts smiling and waving while disembarking on stretchers were broadcast globally, with their return celebrated worldwide.
Despite their safe return, the astronauts will need time to adjust to life on Earth. They will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation program to regain muscle mass and bone density, focusing on strength training and mobility exercises after their extended stay in space.
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