Astronaut Life: No Overtime for Space Stay

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore didn't receive overtime pay despite their prolonged 286-day stint in space due to spacecraft malfunction. NASA treats them like any federal employee, offering $5 daily for incidentals. Both valued their experience over earnings, following a passion for space travel.

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore recently returned from a prolonged 286-day mission in space, significantly longer than planned due to a spacecraft malfunction. Surprisingly, they won't receive overtime pay for their extended mission, adhering to NASA's policy aligning astronauts' compensation with that of typical federal employees.

Despite the extended mission duration, Williams and Wilmore receive the standard government travel per diem of $5 per day for incidentals, totaling about $1,430. This amount pales in comparison to the challenges of space flight, which include potential muscle and bone loss, but astronauts are compensated via an annual salary of roughly $152,258.

In their own words, neither sees the mission's duration as burdensome, with Williams expressing excitement for her 'happy place' in orbit. Meanwhile, Clayton Anderson, a fellow astronaut who spent 152 days aboard the ISS in 2007, reflected on his experience, emphasizing the love for the adventurous job despite modest financial rewards.

(With inputs from agencies.)