Featured Image Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Topics: International Space Station, Money, NASA, Space, Technology, US News
Ellie Kemp
Topics: International Space Station, Money, NASA, Space, Technology, US News
People have been left surprised to learn the amount of money Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin claimed back from his historic mission to the Moon.
Curiosity around astronaut's pay has mounted this week after NASA's Sunita 'Suni' Williams, 59, and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, 61, finally returned home following an unplanned, nine-month stay on the International Space Station.
The pair were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission. However, technical difficulties with their Boeing aircraft meant Williams and Wilmore remained on the for a total of 286 days instead.
After their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore landed back on Earth safely at 5.57pm EST on Tuesday night (March 19), with their vessel successfully splashing down off the Gulf Coast, near Tallahassee, Florida.
Advert
But if you thought the pair would be raking in the cash after working 278 days' overtime - and risking their health while onboard the ISS - then you'd be mistaken.
While NASA has not commented on how much the two astronauts will be paid for their extra-long mission, former employee Cady Coleman claimed that astronauts receive 'no overtime' on top of their regular salary.
Speaking to the Washingtonian back in February, she said there is 'some small amount of money per day for incidentals' that must legally be paid out.
Advert
Coleman claims her incidental pay was 'around $4 a day,' meaning, should her figures still be accurate, Suni and Butch would be making an additional $1,144 for their time in space.
That's alongside their regular salaries, which are reportedly between $125,133 and $162,672 a year, as per CBNC.
Almost 56 years ago now, NASA sent Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins to the Moon aboard Apollo 11.
Advert
At 8.17pm on July 20, 1969, the duo made history when they successfully landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle and the two took pictures, including Armstrong's footprint on the Moon and Aldrin saluting the US flag.
Aldrin took to X, formerly Twitter, in 2015 to share a fascinating memento from his Moon mission; his expense forms.
That's right, turns out heading to the Moon is just like any other business trip in some respects.
The two forms Aldrin posted showed the reimbursements he was owed and, amusingly, recorded their journey from Houston, Texas, to the Moon, and back - not something you see in an ordinary travel report.
Advert
.jpg)
The 'travel vouchers' lists his travel dates and modes of transport - including a 'government spacecraft' and a 'personal vehicle.'
“Government meals and quarters furnished for all above dates,” the document adds.
But it shows that, shockingly, the astronaut only needed to claim back $33.31 for incidental expenses - a super low amount.
Advert
In today's money, that's now worth $289.61, according to US Inflation Calculator.
However, the astronauts were of course paid a salary too, with Aldrin reportedly on $18,623 a year. In 2025, that's $161,914.55.
People reacted to Aldrin's 'travel vouchers' on Reddit, with one user joking: "Money went a lot further back then."
Advert
A second wrote: "I just imagine them all carrying 33$ to the moon for room and board on the trip back," as a third chipped in: "I'd go to the moon for 30 dollars now."