Shubhanshu Shukla Returns to Earth After Axiom-4 Mission: Here's How Much ISRO Astronaut Earns? Compare Salary

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three international crew members of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, safely returned to Earth on Tuesday afternoon. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, dubbed 'Grace', made a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, at 3:01 PM IST after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) the previous evening.

Shubhanshu Shukla Returned To Earth

The return journey from the ISS to Earth took approximately 22.5 hours, beginning with undocking at 4:50 PM IST on Monday. Following splashdown, support boats quickly reached the capsule, and the crew exited the spacecraft safely at sea by 4 PM IST. Preliminary medical evaluations were conducted onboard a recovery ferry to assess their health and ensure safe re-acclimatisation. The astronauts will now undergo a series of medical and physical readjustments in the coming days.

Shubhanshu Shukla's Salary For Axiom-4 Mission

Despite the prestige and complexity of the mission, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla does not receive any additional bonus or premium salary for travelling to space. The Indian government reportedly spent over Rs 548 crore on the Axiom-4 mission, covering training, travel, research, and logistics. Shukla's earnings remain within the standard ISRO astronaut pay scale.

How Much Does An Indian Astronaut Earn?

Typically, ISRO astronauts earn between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 lakh per annum, depending on rank, experience, and mission roles. This includes basic pay, allowances, and government benefits, but does not account for spaceflight-specific incentives, a stark contrast to global astronaut compensation structures.

How ISRO Pay Scales Compare Internationally

In contrast, NASA offers its astronauts annual salaries under the GS-12 to GS-13 pay grades, ranging from USD 65,140 (Rs 56 lakh) to over USD 100,701 (Rs 86 lakh). Seasoned NASA astronauts in supervisory positions can earn well over Rs 90 lakh per annum.

The UK Space Agency pays entry-level astronauts around £40,000 (Rs 46 lakh), while experienced personnel may earn up to £86,000 (Rs 99 lakh) annually. Similarly, the European Space Agency (ESA) pays its astronauts between EUR 6,301 to EUR 9,035 per month, translating to Rs 6 to Rs 9 lakh monthly.

The Ax-4 team, which included commander Peggy Whitson, Polish mission specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian specialist Tibor Kapu, spent 18 days aboard the ISS, conducting over 60 experiments related to microgravity, medicine, material science, and human adaptation to spaceflight.