The cosmonaut's profession is one of the most dangerous and at the same time interesting, which can hardly be called mass. How much do people of this unique profession receive, who, putting their lives in danger, readily and enthusiastically go into space and take part in a variety of studies.
The income of astronauts depends on what agency they work for, as well as on their experience and length of service. So let's see how much the astronauts of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are making as of April 2014. As for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Roscosmos, and the China National Space Administration (CNSA), their rates have not been publicly disclosed.
European Space Agency (ESA)
The last recruitment of astronauts to the European Space Agency took place in 2009. All of them either flew into space, or are already preparing for upcoming missions aboard the ISS. ESA astronauts are paid according to standards A2 to A4. And although the agency is silent about how much money is behind the A2 and A4 levels, sources nevertheless point out that the annual salary of the A2 level is 58,848 euros, and A4 - 84,372 euros.
- Upon admission to the ESA Astronaut Corps, recruits generally receive an A2 level salary. Upon successful completion of basic training, the astronaut is assigned an A3 level salary. Promotion up to A4 level usually follows the first space flight, ESA reports.
ESA Italian astronaut Luca Salvo Parmitano
© ESA / NASA
Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
The Canadian Space Agency includes two active astronauts who have never been in space. Canadian astronauts receive salaries from 1 to 3 levels (Grade 1-3). So, in 2011, their minimum wage according to level 1 was $ 80,897.
The maximum income for CSA astronauts (level 3) is $ 158,470. The salaries of military cosmonauts are strictly classified.
CSA Canadian astronaut Christopher Austin Hadfield
© NASA
Russian cosmonauts
In Russia, cosmonauts are trained at the Cosmonaut Training Center, where they usually accept either those who graduated from the military flight school with a certain number of flight hours, or graduates of the M. V. Bauman with work experience.
Those who are fortunate enough to be in space, and about 100 cosmonauts have succeeded during the entire existence of the center, can receive about 130-150 thousand dollars in six months of work in orbit. On land, their income is much less.
Cosmonaut Oleg Kotov in outer space
© NASA
Astronauts in the USA
NASA employs 43 active astronauts and 8 astronauts who are still undergoing training. Until the completion of basic training, which lasts about two years, the select few are called “astronaut candidates”. Astronauts from other agencies very often join them for basic training.
Civilian astronauts are paid according to a government scale that ranges from GS-11 to GS-14. The salaries of workers living in Houston, where, in fact, the astronauts are trained, in 2012 ranged from $ 64,742 (GS-11) to $ 141,715 (GS-14). Recall that in America it is customary to talk about annual salaries. With advanced training, income increases, respectively.
It is not known how much the military receives, however, as noted by NASA, the armed forces "remain in active duty status for salaries, benefits, vacations and other bonuses."
NASA astronaut Sunita Lin Williams
© NASA