He didn't get paid more. But Keith liked to work more. Because what else was he to do out there in 

space

?

Other people tried wiling their time away with hobbies, but Keith didn't have any. Instead he would just watch. Work.

He got to know his subjects so well that sometimes he thought he was back down on earth. Maybe this was why he liked to watch them so much. It made it feel like he was back.

He would return in six years. That didn't seem too far away.