Astronauts who work for civilian agencies like NASA earn a base salary of $104,898 per year. However, their salaries can increase to $161,141 per year. Furthermore, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said that he would be willing to pay his astronauts up to $500,000 for a trip to Mars.
The average Nasa Astronaut in the US makes $125,254. Nasa Astronauts make the most in San Francisco, CA at $189,207, averaging total compensation 51% greater than the US average.
Astronauts are paid according to the federal government's General Schedule pay scale, and they can fall on the GS-11 through GS-14 pay grades. The pay grade is based on an astronaut's academic achievements and experience. The starting salary for GS-11 employees is $53,805.
While making between $17,000 and $30,000 may not seem like a lot for being such historic figures and risking their lives to rocket into space, remember those were 1969 dollars. If you adjust for inflation, the astronauts' salaries look better.
Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in Australia. An entry level astronaut (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of $63,414. On the other end, a senior level astronaut (8+ years of experience) earns an average salary of $107,983.
Australia does not currently have plans for a crewed space program. As such, astronaut roles are only available overseas. Space agencies such as NASA (USA), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), CSA (Canada) and Roscosmos (Russia) have astronaut programs. Applications only open every few years, and they are highly competitive.
The NASA I2 Program is open to all Australian students, from second year to postgraduate, who wish to undertake an internship at NASA, whether studying in Australia or abroad. Applicants must be an Australian citizen.
The US taxes based on citizenship, meaning that all Americans have to file US taxes, regardless of whether they are in the US or not, or even if they're 'off-planet'.
Space Tourism
For a suborbital trip on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo and Blue Origin's New Shepard, seats typically cost $250,000 to $500,000. Flights beyond that to actual orbit—a much higher altitude—are far more expensive, fetching more than $50 million per seat.
But becoming an astronaut is hard work. In fact, it's incredibly hard work. Retired astronaut Clay Anderson failed in his first 15 attempts before finally making it through the rigorous selection process. Out of thousands of applicants, only a handful make it out of the atmosphere.
Astronauts have the most stressful, and dangerous, of occupations and their training is the gold standard for successfully managing emotions in emergencies.
So depending on our position and speed, time can appear to move faster or slower to us relative to others in a different part of space-time. And for astronauts on the International Space Station, that means they get to age just a tiny bit slower than people on Earth. That's because of time-dilation effects.
Myths about astronaut requirements
As a teenager, I was told that getting a tattoo would mean I could never be an astronaut. This is not at all true. In fact, some Apollo astronauts were given tattoos– small dots to show where defibrillator pads should be placed in case of a medical emergency.
Half of NASA salaries are above $117,103. 95 employees at NASA rank their Compensation in the Top 25% of similar sized companies on Comparably (based on 299 ratings) while 91 employees at NASA rank their Perks And Benefits in the Top 15% of similar sized companies on Comparably (based on 98 ratings).
Flights are typically free of charge, but you should contact your closest Air Mobility Command passenger terminal or the terminal at the location you intend to depart from for specific information.
Elon Musk may have an impressive track record in the new space race, but he hasn't actually gone to space himself. That could eventually change based on past comments, but SpaceX's alternative approach to space travel could explain why Musk has yet to go.
The Outer Space Treaty
The treaty is the foundation of international space law for signatory nations (108 in 2019). The treaty presents principles for space exploration and operation: Space activities are for the benefit of all nations, and any country is free to explore orbit and beyond.
An astronaut's schedule on the ISS consists of 8.5 hours for sleep. 6.5 hours for scheduled work tasks, 2.5 hours scheduled for required exercise, and 1 hour scheduled for lunch. A week consists of five and a half days scheduled for working nominal tasks with 1.5 days off.
Scientists have recently observed for the first time that, on an epigenetic level, astronauts age more slowly during long-term simulated space travel than they would have if their feet had been planted on Planet Earth.
The pay grades for civilian astronauts are GS-11 through GS-14, based on academic achievements and experience. Currently, a GS-11 astronaut starts at $64,724 per year; a GS-14 astronaut can earn up to $141,715 in annual salary [source: NASA].
Visitor Centre Temporarily Closed
The Visitor Centre is located on the grounds of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) at Tidbinbilla, approximately 35 kilometres southwest of the city, approximately a 40-45 minute drive from the city centre.
Australian Space Agency | Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, officially opened the station on the 19th of March 1965. This complex is the only NASA tracking station still operational in Australia today. A more detailed history of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex can be found here.