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After the Impact of a Rescue Mission Involving Astronauts Trapped in Space, Public Interest in the Payments of These Professionals Has Increased. They Vary According to Experience and Position, Reaching Over US$ 600 Thousand Per Year
Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth after spending nine months in space. The mission was intended to last only eight days, but a problem with the capsule caused the duo’s journey to extend to nine months. Amid the challenges, a question arises: is the salary of astronauts worth such effort?
Nasa announced that the average salary of its astronauts in 2024 was US$ 152,258 per year. Converted, this represents around R$ 863,447.51 annually. In monthly terms, the payment would be approximately US$ 12,688 or R$ 71,953.01.
In the United States, it is common for salaries to be announced annually. This is because employers may pay weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The annual figure makes for more accurate comparisons.
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However, the path to that salary is not simple. To participate in Nasa’s astronaut program, one must be a U.S. citizen or have dual citizenship. Even so, the agency does not recommend changing nationality just to become eligible.
It highlights that there are foreign astronauts, including from Brazil, who participate in missions thanks to agreements between space agencies.
Nevertheless, even with the demanding routine and extra time spent away from Earth, astronauts do not receive overtime pay. According to the American portal Washingtonian, retired astronaut Cady Coleman stated that there is no additional payment for extra time. According to her, the salary follows the standard, with a small daily increase.
Coleman shared that, in her time, this additional amount was only US$ 4 per day. In reais, this equates to about R$ 22.74. A symbolic amount considering the isolation, physical and mental pressure, and the risks involved in a space mission.
For astronauts Suni and Butch, the journey is not over yet. After returning to Earth, they will undergo a process of readjustment to gravity.
The program lasts about two months and involves specific physical training. They must focus on balance, muscle strength, and endurance.
The effort to return to the terrestrial rhythm is yet another silent stage of the mission. A stage that, like the extra time in space, does not appear on the paycheck.
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