Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky shared that during his flights, his daily earnings were around $400, which totals about $72,000 for a standard six-month mission.
Photo from the internet. Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky
These payments pertain to the time spent in space and represent bonuses for working in extreme conditions, which are added to the base salary.
The base salary of Russian cosmonauts is about 130,000-140,000 rubles per month after the first flight, not including bonuses and compensations.
Thus, the main income of cosmonauts during long-term missions is formed precisely in orbit.
In comparison, NASA astronauts receive their salary under a different scheme. They are federal employees of the USA and continue to receive their standard salary during flights without any bonuses for space activities. Depending on their qualifications and experience, their annual income ranges from $100,000 to $160,000.
Nasa astronauts are also entitled to symbolic per diem—about $5 a day.
As a result, for a six-month mission, this per diem amounts to approximately $1,000.
Thus, unlike their American counterparts, whose salaries remain virtually unchanged during flights, Russian cosmonauts significantly increase their earnings through additional payments and bonuses for their time in space.
