When they began their mission to space in June 2024, astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore probably didn’t expect that the planned eight days at the International Space Station would turn into months.
The Boeing capsule they traveled to space with experienced technical issues, including helium leak. As a result, the two astronauts were forced to stay in space. The mission of their possible return home has been delayed several times so far. Now NASA expects them to get back home somewhere in March.
Williams and Wilmore will be transported via the Crew-10 mission.
President Donald Trump accused Biden’s administration for abandoning the two astronauts and called Elon Musk and SpaceX to “go get them.”
“Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe,” Trump said. “Good luck Elon!!!”
However, while the media refers to the astronauts as stranded, astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell says that’s not the case. He highlights that “the party line at NASA is that the astronauts are not stranded,” insisting that “it’s way overblown.
“They’re fine,” McDowell explains. “They just got to do an extra spacewalk, which they love. They’ll come home on the next ride.”
Despite finding themselves in a situation that is out of their control, NASA claims Williams and Wilmore are in good spirits, assuring the public that their basic needs, like food and clothing, are well taken care of.
During a call, Williams said, “It’s just been a joy to be working up here.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re cast away. Eventually, we want to go home, because we left our families a little while ago, but we have a lot to do while we’re up here.”
In fact, the astronauts are doing a series of experiments, spacewalks, and other routine operations while in space.
Expectedly, the question of how much they will be paid for their overly-prolonged stay was raised by the media and the public.
However, the answer isn’t something we’d expect.
Retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman revealed for the Washingtonian that being federal employees, besides their salary, astronauts are paid the same as any employee at a business trip anywhere on Earth.
“There is some small amount of money per day for incidentals that they end up being legally obligated to pay you,” she said.
For her, it was around $4 (£3.19) per day.
If this is the case, both Williams and Wilmore would only be paid an extra $1,004 (£801.27) for their time.
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