Astronauts Stranded on ISS for Nine Months Unpaid for Overtime

Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore returned safely on March 17, 2025, but revelations about their lack of overtime pay have drawn criticism and political attention.

Two U.S. astronauts, Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, were stranded on the ISS for nine months due to technical failures with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
NASA covered their standard salaries and expenses but did not compensate them for the extended mission beyond their regular 40-hour workweek.
The astronauts received $5 per day for incidental expenses, which NASA states is standard for all missions, regardless of duration.
Former President Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration for the delays and offered to personally pay the astronauts' unpaid overtime.
The extended mission provided NASA with valuable data on the effects of long-term space travel, potentially informing future missions to Mars and beyond.