NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, part of the Crew-9 mission, returned to Earth on Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom after an unexpected nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS). What began as a short mission turned into a prolonged ordeal, with their extended time in space and safe return drawing worldwide attention.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June last year for what was planned to be an eight-day mission. However, they were forced to extend their stay after the Boeing Starliner capsule, on its maiden test flight, encountered problems with its propulsion system. The malfunctioning capsule was eventually brought back to Earth in September.
‘Butch and Suni’ were joined by astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin, who arrived at the ISS in December as part of a NASA and SpaceX-planned rescue mission.
Attention now turns to the scientific research they conducted and the physical challenges they faced during their extended stay in space. NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner said the crew will remain at the Johnson Space Center for health monitoring by flight surgeons as they readjust to Earth’s gravity. During this period, they will be able to reconnect with their families and, once medically cleared, gradually return to normal life, she added.
Do They Get Paid Extra?
Many might wonder if astronauts receive additional pay for enduring harsh conditions in space, especially after being ‘stranded’ due to unforeseen issues beyond their control.
Former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman told Washingtonian.com that astronauts continue to receive their standard salary, with no overtime or bonus pay. NASA covers expenses for transportation, lodging, and meals, along with a modest daily allowance for incidentals.
“There’s a small daily allowance for incidentals that they’re legally required to pay. For me, it was about $4 a day,” Coleman said.
According to reports, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are classified under GS-15, the highest grade in the U.S. government’s General Schedule pay scale.
As per generalschedule.org, GS-15 employees earn a base salary ranging from $125,133 to $162,672 (approximately ₹1.08 crore to ₹1.41 crore) annually.
For comparison, during her 159-day mission in 2010–11, astronaut Cady Coleman received around $636 (over ₹55,000) in additional pay. Based on similar calculations, after spending more than 287 days in space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are expected to receive at least $1,148 each (roughly ₹1 lakh) in extra compensation.
However, the exact figure—still without any overtime—would depend on adjustments made by NASA for inflation and other variables.
