₹ 347 a day to orbit the earth? The truth behind NASA’s payment for astronauts like Sunita Williams

For astronauts who spend months in space, life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) may seem extraordinary, but when it comes to paying, NASA treats it like any other government work on Earth.

Despite facing high risks, intense schedules and long periods of isolation, NASA does not offer overtime payment to its astronauts, even when months pass by orbiting the planet. The reason? Astronauts are salaried federal employees, classified under the GS-15 salary rating, with annual salaries ranging from $ 125,133 to $ 162,672.

NASA justifies this policy when considering space missions as official work assignments, comparable to a long business trip. As with other federal employees in the allocation, all essential expenses, including food, accommodation and transport, are covered, whether astronauts are training on earth or circling over it.

The only additional compensation that astronauts receive is a small daily stipend for unforeseen events, usually about $ 4 per day (approximately RS 347), an amount of the token destined for personal expenses, not as an extra time payment.

The Retraded Astronaut Cady Coleman, who spent almost six months in space, explained that this has always been the norm. “You have no extra hours for being in space. That is part of the agreement, ”he said, emphasizing that astronauts accept this as part of their mission.

Even Sunita Williams, one of NASA’s most recognized astronauts and a veteran of two long -term ISS missions, falls under the same compensation framework. Williams, who has registered more than 300 days in space, is among those who have contributed significantly to the human space flight, but like his colleagues, he did not receive any additional payment for his time that passed in orbit.

NASA argues that since astronaut’s missions are fully financed, with all covered life expenses, there is no need to compensate overtime. This approach is aligned with broader federal employment standards, where salaried employees generally do not gain overtime, even for high -risk or extended tasks.

So, while astronauts such as Sunita Williams and others can inspire millions of dollars on land, their payment checks remain tied to government salary bands, without bonuses to pass through the space to 17,500 miles per hour.