Nataliya’s Reviews > Gemini: Stepping Stone to the Moon—The Untold Story > Status Update

Like all naval aviators, Schirra received hazard pay for combat flying or any other mission that could present a high risk of death. In Schirra’s case, the flight atop the Atlas, inside the Mercury, making a record-breaking six full circuits around the earth, earned him bonus pay of $35.31, more than any other astronaut to date.