Donald Trump has offered to personally pay NASA astronauts overtime after their low compensation was revealed for nine months spent in space.
Recently, former President Donald Trump made headlines by offering to pay NASA astronauts out of his own pocket.
This offer came after it was revealed that the astronauts faced very low pay for their extended time in space.
Astronauts completed a lengthy mission lasting nine months.
The two astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, were supposed to be in space for only eight days.
They launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. However, due to various technical issues, their mission stretched into an unexpected 286 days.
They finally returned to Earth on March 19, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
This long duration makes them the sixth longest-serving NASA crew for a single mission.
They came close to breaking the record held by Peggy Whitson, who spent 289 days in space. Frank Rubio holds the overall record with 371 days.
NASA astronauts got low compensation for 9 months in space
Following their return, many were shocked to learn how little the astronauts were compensated for their extended stay.
Former astronaut Cady Coleman shared her experience, stating that NASA astronauts receive a small daily pay, similar to federal workers traveling for business.
Coleman mentioned she earned about $4 a day during her own mission in 2010. While the exact pay for astronauts today is unclear, federal travel rates currently allow for $178 per day.
This discrepancy could greatly affect the compensation for Wilmore and Williams.
According to Coleman, the daily stipend is meant to cover basic expenses like food and lodging.
Based on her calculations, Wilmore and Williams might only earn about $1,148 each for their extra days in space.
However, if NASA used the full daily travel rate, their pay could exceed $51,000 each.
Trump suggests personally covering NASA astronauts’ overtime pay after discovering their low compensation for 9 months in space
Wilmore and Williams are classified under the GS-15 pay scale, which means their annual salaries range from $125,000 to $163,000.
However, the amount they reportedly received for their unexpected time in space has caused an outcry.
Trump stepped in after Fox News reporter Peter Doocy revealed that NASA planned to pay just $5 a day for incidentals.
Trump expressed his concern, stating, “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket,” adding: “Nobody ever mentioned this to me.
“Is that all? That’s not a lot, for what they had to go through.”
Official classification of the mission
A NASA spokesperson explained that the astronauts’ mission is treated as an extended business trip.
They are considered on official travel orders as federal employees.
This classification affects how their pay is calculated, leading to the low amounts reported.
After the astronauts returned to Earth, Trump reflected on their challenging experience.
He explained: “Even though they’re in the capsule up there, the body starts to deteriorate after nine or 10 months and gets really bad after 14,15 months, with the bones and the blood and all of the things that you’ve been reporting on very well.
“And if we don’t have Elon [Musk], they could be up there a long time.”