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After the repercussions of a rescue mission involving astronauts trapped in space, public interest in the salaries of these professionals increased. They vary according to experience and position, and can exceed R$600 per year.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth after spending nine months in space. The mission was supposed to last only eight days, but a problem with the capsule meant the duo's trip lasted nine months. Amidst the challenges, a question arises: is the astronauts' salary worth all the effort?
NASA reported that the average salary for its astronauts in 2024 was $152.258 per year. Converted, this represents about R$863.447,51 per year. In monthly values, the payment would be approximately $12.688 or R$71.953,01.
In the United States, it is common for salaries to be advertised on an annual basis. This is because employers can pay weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The annual figure makes it easier to make more accurate comparisons.
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But the path to this salary is not easy. To participate in NASA's astronaut program, you must be a US citizen or have dual citizenship. Even so, the agency itself does not recommend changing your nationality just to become eligible.
She highlights that there are foreign astronauts, including from Brazil, who participate in missions thanks to agreements between space agencies.
However, despite the demanding routine and extra time away from Earth, astronauts do not receive overtime pay. According to the US website Washingtonian, retired astronaut Cady Coleman said there is no additional payment for overtime. According to her, the salary is standard, with a small daily increase.
Coleman said that, at the time, this additional amount was only US$4 per day. In reais, this is equivalent to about R$22,74. A symbolic amount given the isolation, physical and mental pressure, and risk involved in a space mission.
For astronauts Suni and Butch, the journey is not over yet. After returning to Earth, they will go through a process of readjusting to gravity.
The program lasts about two months and involves specific physical training. They should focus on balance, muscle strength and endurance.
The effort to return to Earth's rhythm is yet another silent stage of the mission. A stage that, like the extra time in space, does not appear on the paycheck.
