For astronauts spending months in space, the life of the International Space Station (ISS) may look great – but when it comes to payment, NASA treats it like any other government’s work.
Despite facing great risks, intense schedules and long mood isolation, NASA does not offer overtime to its astronauts, even when they spend months orbiting the planet. The reason? Astronauts are paid to federal employees, classified under the GS-15 salaries department, with annual salaries ranging from $ 125,133 to $ 162,672.
NASA justifies this policy given space missions as official tasks, comparable to a long business trip. As with other federal employees, all basic costs are covered – including food, accommodation and transport, whether astronauts train on Earth or circle over it.
The only additional compensation that astronauts receive is a small daily scholarship for incidents, usually about $ 4 a day (approximately 347 Rs) – a sign of meaning for personal expenses, not an overtime.
Retired astronaut Cady Coleman, who spent nearly six months in space, explained that this had always been the norm. “You don’t get overtime to be in space. It is part of the deal, “she said, stressing that astronauts accept this as part of their mission.
Even Sunita Williams, one of NASA’s most famous astronauts and a veteran of two long -term missions, belongs to the same compensation framework. Williams, who has announced over 300 days in space, is among those who have contributed significantly to human space flying – but like her colleagues, she did not receive an extra salary for her time spent in orbit.
NASA claims that since astronaut missions are fully funded, covering all living costs, there is no need for overtime. This approach is aligned with the wider federal employment norms, where salary employees usually do not earn overtime, even for high-risk or extended tasks.
So, while astronauts like Sunita Williams and others can inspire millions on Earth, their checks remain tied to government wages – without bonuses to hurt 17,500 miles per hour.
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