Sunita Williams Salary – How Much Salary does NASA pay Sunita Williams? Know her facilities
Sunita Williams Salary – Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and her partner Barry Butch Wilmore’s return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) have been postponed once again.
The whole world is looking forward to their safe return. But do you know how much salary the astronauts working in NASA get and what special facilities are given to them? Let’s know in detail.
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Who is Sunita Williams?
Sunita Williams was born on 19 September 1965 in Ohio, USA. After completing high school from Massachusetts, she received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Science from the US Naval Academy in 1987. After this, in 1995, she obtained a master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Sunita was first employed in the US Navy, then she joined NASA and got the distinction of becoming the first woman to do a space walk.
Her father Dr. Deepak N Pandya is a renowned neurologist and hails from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, while her mother Bonnie Jalokar is from Slovenia.
What is Sunita Williams salary?
The salary of astronauts in NASA is decided according to their experience and grade scale. Usually NASA Astronauts are paid salary under GS 12 to GS 15 grade.
Grade (GS Scale) Salary (Annual)
- GS 12 (Entry Level) $66,167 (~ ₹55 lakhs)
- GS 13 (Mid-Level) $90,000 – $110,000 (~ ₹75 lakhs – ₹91 lakhs)
- GS 14 (Experienced) $130,000 – $140,000 (~ ₹1.08 crores – ₹1.15 crores)
- GS 15 (Senior Level) $150,000 – $160,000 (~ ₹1.25 crores – ₹1.3 crores)
Given Sunita Williams’ experience and important role, it can be assumed that her salary will be according to GS 14 or GS 15 grade, i.e. she will earn between $130,000 to $160,000 (₹1.08 crores – ₹1.3 crores) per year.
Facilities Sunita Williams gets from NASA
Apart from salary, astronauts working in NASA also get many other allowances and facilities, which include:
Insurance & Healthcare Benefits
Complete medical insurance for astronauts and their families, which covers medical, dental and vision.
Retirement Plan
NASA provides good retirement benefits to its employees under the 401(k) pension plan.
Additional Allowances During Missions
Astronauts get additional daily allowance and risk benefits during long-duration missions.
Training & Skill Development
NASA provides its astronauts with regular training, technology updates, and scientific research opportunities for new missions.
Sunita Williams is an experienced and prestigious NASA Astronaut. Looking at her contribution, it can be estimated that her annual salary can be between ₹1.08 crores to ₹1.3 crores. Also, she gets many facilities like health insurance, retirement plan, and additional allowances.
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