For the first time, NASA’s newest astronaut group has more women than men. Six of the 10 people are women. NASA chose the group from more than 8,000 people. They are now just over halfway through two years of training.
They are learning to walk outside a spacecraft and work on the space station. They also learn to fly jet planes and use a robot arm. After training, they could work on space trips near Earth or to the Moon. Some could also help with NASA’s future plans for Mars.
NASA pays them during their training. After they finish and qualify for the job, they can earn about $152,000 a year. This figure comes from NASA’s pay information for 2024. They get no extra money for working longer hours or doing dangerous work.
On the International Space Station, astronauts get their normal pay for a 40-hour working week. NASA also pays for their travel, a place to stay and meals. Their time in space counts as travel for their government job.
