Why stranded astronauts won’t get overtime pay despite their 8-day mission turning into 9 months

To the delight of many, stranded astronauts Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore are finally home.

Their stay at the International Space Station was originally expected to last only eight days, but due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner capsule that was supposed to return them to Earth, it was extended to nine months.

NASA and Boeing made several attempts to return the stranded astronauts home, but each was met with technical setbacks, leading to many delays.

Eventually, NASA decided to use a SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which had a history of successful ISS returns.

As they emerged from the SpaceX Dragon, which splashed down off the coast of Florida, Williams and Wilmore waved and smiled.

Considering the length of their stay in space, many assume the stranded astronauts would be paid a hefty sum of money. However, that’s not the case.

Retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman revealed for the Washingtonian that being federal employees, besides their salary, astronauts are paid the same as any employee at a business trip anywhere on Earth.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

“There is some small amount of money per day for incidentals that they end up being legally obligated to pay you,” she said.

For her, it was around $4 (£3.19) per day. 

If this is the case, both Williams and Wilmore would only be paid an extra $1,004 (£801.27) for their time.

Both Williams and Wilmore hold GS-15 rankings, which is the highest tier in the US General Pay Schedule.

According to Uniland, their salaries range between $125,133 and $162,672 per year. This means that their prorated earnings for the additional nine months of their mission, factoring in the incidentals, will be $94,998 and $123,152.

We are glad they were finally able to return home.

Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.

Bored Daddy

Love and Peace

Monica Pop
Monica Pop
Monica Pop is a senior writer for Bored Daddy magazine covering the latest trending and popular articles across the United States and around the world.

More from author

Related posts

Latest posts

Senate votes against Sanders resolutions

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has made multiple efforts to stop the sale of offensive weapons to Israel. The US Senate rejected three...

1 tablespoon every morning to naturally cleanse your blood vessels

Blood vessels are channels that carry blood throughout your body and form a closed loop, like a circuit, that begins and ends at your...

The difference between the spirit of a loved one and other forces

Losing someone we love is never easy. The grief that follows can last weeks, months, or even years, leaving a void that feels impossible...

The little girl lifted her hand with all five fingers spread — but it wasn’t a simple greeting

Officer Daniel Reyes was at the supermarket as part of a new effort to ensure officers remain visible in the neighborhood. The night was...

Minneapolis ICU nurse faces horror as school shooting victims arrive

Amy Forchas, a pediatric nurse at Hennepin Healthcare rushed to work on Wednesday morning to assist with the influx of victims from Annunciation Catholic school shooting. What...

Tragic update: 5-year-old girl pulled into storm drain

On a Sunday evening, 5-year-old Zaria Miller, her brothers, and some friends were cheerfully playing outdoors near Bahia Vista Street, close to Sarasota Christian...