Sergey Ryazansky, a cosmonaut, shared that his daily income during the flight was approximately $400, which totals about $72,000 over the standard mission duration.
Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky. Photo from the internet.
It should be noted that the amounts mentioned are additional payments for work in the unique conditions of space and are accrued on top of the base salary.
The base salary of Russian cosmonauts, according to open data, is about 130,000–140,000 rubles per month after the first flight, which does not include bonuses and allowances.
Thus, the largest part of cosmonauts' income during long expeditions is formed precisely from their time in orbit.
In contrast, NASA astronauts receive their salary under a different system. As government employees, they retain their regular salaries during space flights, without additional "space" bonuses. Their annual income ranges from $100,000 to $160,000 depending on their level, experience, and position.
NASA astronauts are also entitled to only symbolic daily allowances — about $5 per day.
Thus, over six months, their daily allowances amount to approximately $1,000.
It can be concluded that in Russia, a significant portion of cosmonauts' income is formed from daily allowances and special bonuses for time spent in space, whereas in the USA, the income of astronauts during flight is practically no different from their regular salary on Earth.
