NASA stranded astronaut Sunita Williams is soon to come back to Earth aboard fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore after spending almost 10 months on the International Space Station (ISS). Their 10-day mission was extended for a long time because of unexpected technical problems. NASA has given the relief mission official approval, and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will transport the astronauts back to Earth.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore set to return after extended mission
NASA announced on March 8, 2025, a very important fact regarding the return of Crew 9, members of which are astronauts Williams, Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Gorbunov. They will not be returning to Earth until the arrival of the Crew 10 at the ISS. Crew 10 will be departing on March 12 at 7:48 EDT, whereas Crew 9 will be undocking on March 16.
A NASA spokesperson said, “Crew 9 will undock on March 16 for the launch of Crew 10 on March 12.”
Such coordinated timing allows for a smooth transfer of astronauts at the ISS, maintaining continuity in the operations being performed at the space station.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were originally assigned a 10-day mission on the ISS. The mission was extended, however, and became a longer stay in space because of severe technical issues on the spacecraft. The long-term mission was challenging but also yielded valuable scientific research and observation in space.
Sunita Williams’ salary as a NASA astronaut
As a NASA astronaut, Sunita Williams gets paid based on the US government’s General Schedule (GS) pay scale, grades GS-13 to GS-15, based on experience and mission assignments.
The salary of astronauts differs within this range:
- GS-13 astronaut salary: Astronauts at grade GS-13 receive between USD 81,216 (roughly INR 6.7 million) and USD 105,579 (roughly INR 8.77 million).
- GS-15 astronaut salary: Senior astronauts, belonging to GS-15, receive between INR 7 million and INR 12.7 million per year.
According to ET reports, Sunita Williams is generally classified under the GS-15 pay grade, which, based on NASA records, means her estimated annual salary is approximately $152,258 (around Rs 1.26 crore per year).
Support and facilities available to Sunita Williams as a NASA astronaut
In addition to their salaries, NASA astronauts also receive some facilities and benefits. These are:
- House rent allowance: Similar to most government employees, astronauts are also given a housing allowance.
- Car loans: Certain NASA employees can also receive car loans on preferential terms.
- Health insurance: As NASA employees, astronauts such as Williams also enjoy the full coverage of health insurance for their well-being on
These advantages make being an astronaut for NASA a desirable and fulfilling profession, with numerous support systems to aid in their professional and personal lives.
Sunita Williams’ net worth
A former Navy officer and highly respected astronaut, Sunita Williams has had a distinguished career with NASA and the U.S. military. Throughout her career, she has contributed significantly to space exploration, participating in multiple space missions. According to ET reports, due to her accomplishments, she has gained widespread recognition, her estimated net worth is around $5 million.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s extended mission on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore started their mission on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024. The first mission was to stay for only 10 days. Along the way to an attempt at docking with the ISS, the thruster on the spacecraft failed, making their mission even more complicated. The failed thruster shoved them into an extended period in space, extending the mission over its initial time.
In spite of all these, Williams and Wilmore’s work still provides so much light in space travel, as well as the need to deal with technical issues that were not expected if there are long operations in space. This more extended mission exposes the uncertainty and resilience needed in space exploration in order for it to be a success.
