How much NASA's Artemis II mission astronauts will get paid
What's the story
NASA's Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, is a landmark journey around the Moon. The four-member crew comprises Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover. They are currently on a 10-day voyage covering some 685,000-mile (nearly 11,02,398km) in total. Now that they are halfway to their destination, here's a look at the estimated pay structure of these astronauts.
Salary structure
Astronauts' pay structure
Despite the risks, skills, and global attention that come with the mission, NASA astronauts are paid according to a standard federal pay scale. They fall under the General Schedule (GS), a pay scale used across the US government. Most of them are at GS-13 or GS-14 levels depending on their experience and qualifications. This means their annual salaries usually range from $90,000 to $150,000.
Pay details
No danger pay or bonus for space time
Astronauts do not get overtime, danger pay, or any other bonus for spending time in space. This means that even those going on missions further away from Earth than any human has ever gone in over 50 years are paid like senior federal employees working on the ground. NASA has previously said that more experienced astronauts can make around $150,000 a year with possible adjustments based on their location and service length.
International pay scale
Pay scale of Canadian astronaut
The Artemis II mission also includes a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, showing the global nature of space exploration. Canadian astronauts follow a different pay structure based on career levels from junior to senior. Their salaries usually range from about $97,000 to nearly $190,000 with higher pays for those with mission experience. This difference highlights the international aspect of space missions and their varying compensation structures.
Mission updates
Earth images captured by the crew
As the Artemis II mission continues, NASA has shared stunning high-resolution images of Earth taken by the crew. The photos were captured by mission commander Reid Wiseman after a final engine burn that put them on course to our closest celestial neighbor. One of the pictures shows a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean with green auroras visible at both poles.