$ 347 a day for the Earth? The truth is behind NASA’s salaries against astronauts such as Sonita Williams

For astronauts who spend months of space, life on the International Space Station (ISS) may seem unusual – but when it comes to payment, NASA treats it like any other government job on Earth.

Despite facing high risks, intense timelines, and long passage of isolation, NASA does not provide an additional wage for astronauts, even when they spend months spinning around the planet. the reason? Space pioneers are federal employees with lives, classified under GS-15 salary, with annual salaries ranging from $ 125133 to 162,672 dollars.

NASA justifies this policy by looking at space tasks as official work duties, similar to a long business trip. As with other federal employees in the task, all basic expenses – including food, housing and transportation – are covered – whether astronauts are training on Earth or spinning over it.

The only additional compensation astronauts that they receive is a small daily salary for accidents, and is usually about 4 dollars a day (about 347 rupees) – a special symbolic amount for personal expenses, and not as an additional reward.

Retired astronaut Kadi Coleman, who spent nearly six months in space, explained that this was always the base. “Do not get the additional work because you are in space. This is part of the deal,” she said, stressing that astronauts accept this as part of their mission.

Even Sunita Williams, one of the most famous astronauts in NASA and veteran in two long -term ISS missions, falls under the same compensation framework. Williams, who recorded more than 300 days in space, is among those who contributed greatly to human space tires – but like her colleagues, no additional salaries received for her time spent in orbit.

NASA argues that, given that astronaut missions are fully funded, while covering all living expenses, there is no need to compensate. This approach is in line with the broader federal employment standards, as the arranged employees usually do not gain additional work, even for high -risk or extended tasks.

So, while astronauts such as Sunita Williams and others may inspire millions on Earth, their salaries remain linked to the government salary band – with no space photography bonuses at an altitude of 17,500 miles per hour.