NASA Reveals Salary Details For Artemis II Astronauts
on Apr 09, 2026
Artemis II Makes Historic Mission Around The Moon
On Wednesday, April 1st, four astronauts made history as they prepared to journey around the moon. Artemis II officially launched at 6:35:12 p.m. Eastern Time. As the launch window opened, NASA flight controllers briefly paused the countdown to address minor technical issues, resuming it a few minutes later before liftoff.
Taking off from Kennedy Space Center aboard NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket, Artemis II is carrying the astronauts on a 9.5-day journey that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth. The crew is traveling inside the Orion spacecraft, designed for deep-space exploration.
Unlike future Artemis missions, Artemis II will not attempt a landing. Instead, it is designed as a test flight to evaluate critical systems and equipment. NASA officials say the mission is a key step in preparing for future lunar landings under the Artemis program.
RELATED: Easter From Space: Artemis II Astronaut Victor Glover’s Inspiring Message To Humanity
Who Is Aboard Artemis II?
Apollo 17 (launched in 1972) was the last manned mission around the moon. This current trip is commanded by Reid Wiseman, and also includes Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
The crew aboard Artemis II includes the first woman and first Black astronaut to travel to deep lunar space, as well as the first Canadian astronaut assigned to a Moon mission.
The spacecraft is expected to return to Earth around on Friday (April 10). Splashdown is anticipated in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where recovery teams are positioned to retrieve both the crew and the capsule.
Artemis II Astronaut’s Salaries Revealed
According to Fortune, as the Artemis II crew heads back to Earth, they won’t be greeted by bonuses or special financial rewards.
Even after undertaking the dangerous and groundbreaking mission around the Moon, upon arriving home, the astronauts are not awarded overtime, hazard pay, or bonus compensation.
Instead, the four crew members will resume their regular government salaries, with U.S. crew members earning up to roughly $152,000 a year, and Canadian astronauts paid under a comparable structured scale.
NASA covers travel, lodging, and meals for the crew, and astronauts receive a small daily stipend for incidental expenses, a NASA spokesperson confirmed with the outlet. While the pay remains modest, the rare opportunity to explore space remains the primary draw.
NASA’s 2025 astronaut class, announced last September, was chosen from a pool of more than 8,000 applicants. Out of those 8,000, only 10 candidates were selected.
