Washington, March 18, 2025 – NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally been cleared to return to Earth after spending nine months stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) instead of their originally scheduled eight-day mission. The duo was initially launched for a brief mission but due to technical issues, their stay at the ISS extended far beyond expectations.
This extended stay has led to speculations about whether the astronauts will receive additional compensation for their time spent in space. Both Williams and Wilmore are federal employees, and as such, their work time in space is considered equivalent to their regular job hours on Earth, ensuring they continue to receive their standard pay during their time on the ISS.
Former astronaut, Catherine “Cady” Coleman, clarified that their prolonged stay was not an accident, but part of their ongoing work for NASA. She emphasized that since they are regular NASA employees, they will not receive any special compensation beyond their regular salaries. However, astronauts do receive a small daily stipend for living expenses, which amounts to $4 per day, or approximately ₹347.
For the 287+ days spent in space, both Williams and Wilmore will receive an additional compensation of $1,148 (around ₹1 lakh) each. Their salaries, falling under the U.S. General Schedule (GS) system, place them within a pay range of approximately ₹1.08 crore to ₹1.41 crore annually.