NASAThe Artemis 2 mission was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the eastern United States at 6:35 pm Eastern Time on April 1 Florida. The four astronauts will embark on a 10-day, 685,000-mile journey that will take them around the moon, commonly known as a lunar flyby.
The Artemis 2 crew includes Jeremy Hanson, Reed Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover.
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Latest updates on NASA’s Artemis II mission
NASA said in an update Friday morning artemis On the third day of their historic mission, Crew 2 is roughly halfway to the moon.
Officials said the Artemis 2 crew was “in good spirits” and “very excited about the opportunity to be there and what’s going on.”
Astronauts spent some time Friday conducting a “noise signature” assessment of the toilet’s sound levels.
The crew also performed exercises and performed CPR demonstrations. NASA reports that astronauts are evaluating medical kits and will test emergency communications with the Deep Space Network.
However, behind all this glory lies a little-known fact: the astronauts who made this journey were not paid what many expected.
Despite the dangers, expertise and worldwide attention the mission requires, Artemis 2 astronauts are paid the same as other government employees. Their salaries are not affected by mission size but rather by the standardized federal pay structure.
This is how much the Artemis 2 astronauts earn
NASA astronauts are classified according to the Master Schedule, a salary scale used by the U.S. government. Most positions are at the GS-13 to GS-14 levels, depending on their experience, qualifications and years of service.
This classification results in their annual salary typically being approximately $90,000 to $150,000. NASA It has previously been said that experienced astronauts can earn about $150,000 per year, with possible adjustments based on their location and years of service.
Even on long missions, astronauts do not receive overtime compensation, hazard pay or any additional compensation for the time spent in space.
The astronauts are on missions that will take them farther from Earth than anyone has ventured in more than 50 years, and they are paid similarly to senior federal employees stationed on the ground.
The Artemis 2 mission also has an astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency, highlighting the increasingly global aspect of space exploration.
Canadian astronauts follow a unique salary framework based on career levels from entry-level to senior positions. Their salaries typically range from about $97,000 to nearly $190,000, with those with assignment experience earning more.
Artemis 2 crew captures ‘spectacular’ image of Earth
NASA has released the first high-resolution photos of Earth taken by Artemis 2 astronauts as they reached the midpoint between Earth and the moon.
According to NASA, mission commander Reed Wiseman captured these “spectacular” images after the crew completed its final engine burn, putting them on course for our closest celestial neighbor.
The first photo, titled “Hello, World,” depicts the vast blue Atlantic Ocean, illuminated by the light of the atmosphere when the Earth blocks the sun, with green aurora visible at both poles.
In this image, the orientation of the Earth is reversed, with Western Sahara and the Iberian Peninsula on the left and eastern South America on the right.
The images were taken after astronauts successfully performed a translunar injection burn in the early hours of Friday morning.
