NASA astronauts delayed in space for 9 months won’t get overtime pay
Full: Splashdown and recovery of astronauts
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to earth on Tuesday as they splashed down off the coast of Florida and were retrieved by NASA and SpaceX vehicles.
LOS ANGELES - NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their Boeing Starliner mission, meant to last just over a week, was extended to 286 days due to thruster failures that left them unable to safely return.
Despite the risk and uncertainty, the astronauts were paid no extra wages for their extended mission—no overtime, no hazard pay, and no weekend or holiday compensation. NASA confirmed that astronauts receive fixed government salaries, with only a small daily stipend for incidentals while in space.
Why were the astronauts stuck for 9 months?
The backstory:
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, Calypso, for a critical test flight. The mission was expected to last about a week, but Starliner’s thrusters failed during docking, making their return uncertain.
NASA and Boeing spent months troubleshooting the issue, ensuring Starliner could safely bring them back. In the meantime, Williams and Wilmore continued working aboard the ISS, assisting with scientific research, station maintenance, and technology demonstrations.
After multiple delays, they finally landed back on Earth on March 18, 2025—286 days after launch.
How much do NASA astronauts make?
By the numbers:
NASA astronauts are federal employees, falling under the General Schedule (GS) 12-13 pay scale.
- Annual salary range (2024): $100,287–$155,034
- Typical astronaut salary: $152,258
- No extra pay for weekends, holidays, or hazardous missions
- Daily incidentals stipend: About $4–$5 per day
- Total additional pay for 9-month stay: $1,144–$1,430
NASA confirmed to multiple outlets that astronauts are paid a 40-hour-per-week salary, even though they work seven days a week in space.
"There’s no hazard pay, there’s no overtime, there’s no comp time," said former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino.
Astronauts return with splashdown off Gulf Coast
Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore of Crew-9 on the ISS and NASA and SpaceX returned to earth on Tuesday, splashing down off the Gulf coast of Florida.
A NASA spokesperson told PEOPLE that while astronauts receive an incidental stipend for each day in space, it’s a minimal amount due to federal travel regulations.
Did they feel stranded?
What they're saying:
Despite internet speculation that they were "stuck" or "abandoned", Williams and Wilmore disputed that narrative.
"That’s been the rhetoric. That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck—and I get it. We both get it," Wilmore told CNN. "But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight program is about."
Williams and Wilmore are veteran astronauts who were fully prepared for mission delays. Long-duration spaceflights—even unplanned ones—are a known risk in human spaceflight.
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building on June 05, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Why do astronauts take the risk?
Big picture view:
For most people, $150,000 a year wouldn’t be enough to risk being stranded in space. Other high-paying careers, like finance, law, or tech, offer higher salaries with far less risk.
- Investment bankers in New York earn an average of $111,000—without the threat of being stuck in orbit.
- Consultants can make $137,000 while advising clients from comfortable office spaces.
- Sales professionals in major cities often earn over $200,000 with no inherent danger.
But astronauts aren’t driven by money.
A 2019 Lego study found that being an astronaut is still a top career aspiration for U.S. and U.K. children, ranking among the top five dream jobs.
For Williams and Wilmore, their nine-month stay in space was about more than money. They spent their time inspecting hardware, aiding scientific research, testing technology, and maintaining the ISS—essential work for the future of human spaceflight.
As NASA’s space operations chief Ken Bowersox said:
"Every astronaut that launches into space, we teach them: don’t think about when you’re coming home. Think about how well your mission’s going—and if you’re lucky, you might get to stay longer."
The Source: This report is based on The Associated Press, PEOPLE, NASA statements, and federal pay records detailing the Boeing Starliner mission, astronaut salaries, and NASA’s response to their extended stay.