US President Donald Trump says he will personally pay overtime for two NASA astronauts who were stranded on the ISS and have just returned to Earth.
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams returned to Earth this week after nine months stuck on the International Space Station (ISS). President Trump said on March 21 that he may pay the two astronauts overtime, according to Fox News.
"Nobody told me that. If I had to do it, I would pay for it out of my own pocket," President Trump said.
Two astronauts welcomed by dolphins upon returning after 9 months stuck at ISS space camp
Wilmore and Williams arrived at the ISS in June 2024 for an eight-day mission. However, their spacecraft suffered a malfunction and they were only brought back by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon this week, 286 days after their launch.
When asked by reporters that Wilmore and Williams would receive $5 for each day of overtime in space, or $1,430 each, President Trump said: "That's it? That's not too much for what they've been through." The White House chief said the human body would begin to fail after a few months in space.
President Trump at the White House on March 21
On the other hand, Mr. Trump thanked billionaire Elon Musk, the boss of SpaceX and the president's advisor in charge of the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE). "Think about what would happen if we didn't have him. If we didn't have Elon, they could be there for a long time. Who else would take them back?", Mr. Trump said.
Previously, Mr. Trump accused his predecessor Joe Biden of "abandoning" two astronauts on the ISS for political reasons, but did not provide evidence.
NASA ISS administrator Joel Montalbano said the agency acted on President Trump’s request by moving the replacement mission to the ISS forward. Trump said Wilmore and Williams would visit the White House after they recover.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tong-thong-trump-noi-se-lay-tien-tui-tra-cho-hai-phi-hanh-gia-nasa-185250322171025041.htm
Comment (0)