# Of Astronauts and Corvettes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858 "2023-03-29T22:01:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/1 "2023-03-29T22:01:29Z")
I never thought much about it (other than being jealous), but recently the windmills of my mind began churning: I understand a local Chevy dealership gave each (Mercury?) astronaut a brand new Corvette. However, wasn’t it illegal for a US Government employee to accept such an expensive gift, no matter how innocent or good-spirited this gesture was? I know today, US Government employees cannot accept gifts over a minimal amount. I would assume this is a long-standing practice. Maybe a Doper Astro-nut ot Corvette fan can give us the facts? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/2 "2023-03-29T22:22:08Z")
From [this article](https://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/heres-why-so-many-astronauts-have-owned-chevrolet-corvettes), it really just comes down to, the rules were different then. > Today, modern ethics rules mean that a similar $1 lease program couldn’t come back for modern astronauts. But GM did half-jokingly bring the program back for retired astronauts, to whom NASA ethics policy would no longer apply. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/3 "2023-03-30T15:31:07Z")
Didn’t Gary Sinise’s character drive a Corvette in that movie about Apollo 13? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/4 "2023-03-30T15:55:50Z")
The Mercury Seven got more than cars. They had a deal with Life Magazine that gave them $25K/year for exclusive rights to their stories. They were also given free homes in Houston when NASA opened up the operations center there. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/5 "2023-03-30T19:34:10Z")
I suspect they got a lot more strick after the stamp scandal. [Apollo 15 postal covers incident - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_15_postal_covers_incident) ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/6 "2023-03-31T00:51:29Z")
Thanks for this link! Very interesting! ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/7 "2023-03-31T03:01:53Z")
I, personally, believe that society should be able to reward people who fly spaceships, or some such, with Corvettes, or some such, without compromising the integrity of the space program. But maybe I’m just a dreamer. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/8 "2023-08-29T09:04:50Z")
Bringing this one forward, because I’m binge-watching the HBO series, “From the Earth to the Moon,” and it seems that every astronaut has a Corvette. I seem to recall, from history, that all astronauts had a Corvette. Why? Were the cars gifts from Chevrolet? From a local Chevy dealer in Houston or Florida? If an astronaut did not want a Corvette, was he given his choice of any other Chevrolet? Or any other car, for that matter? I’ve never driven a Chevy Corvette, but I have ridden in one; and I have driven a late-model Chevy Camaro. Neither appealed to me. If I was an astronaut, and Chevrolet or a local dealer offered me a free Corvette, I’d respond with, “No thanks, but I’ll take a Tahoe or a Suburban or a Silverado pickup.” Something more useful, in other words. Why did astronauts drive Corvettes? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/9 "2023-08-29T09:43:00Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I’d respond with, “No thanks, but I’ll take a Tahoe or a Suburban or a Silverado pickup.” Something more useful, in other words. This link > **[The Reason Why So Many NASA Astronauts Drove Corvettes - SlashGear](https://www.slashgear.com/899611/the-reason-why-so-many-nasa-astronauts-drove-corvettes/)** > > A lucrative agreement with a Florida dealership led a number of astronauts to be able to lease Corvettes until the 1970s. says John Glenn went with a station wagon. > [@Spoons](#): > > Were the cars gifts from Chevrolet? From a local Chevy dealer in Houston or Florida? A dealership close to the Space Center in Florida; see the link. I suppose that _technically_ the cars were not gifts since they had to cough up $1 per year. > [@Spoons](#): > > Why did astronauts drive Corvettes? Arrant corruption is the only explanation I can think of. It should never have been allowed, and even when it was dangled in front of them people like Neil Armstrong should have had the integrity to refuse and pay for their own vehicles. This isn’t like when they all wore Omega Speedmasters that were NASA issue. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/10 "2023-08-29T14:22:39Z")
These were people that were putting their lives on the line. NASA let it happen because they wanted them to feel like rock stars so as to encourage other very bright and smart people to try and become astronauts. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/11 "2023-08-29T15:46:13Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Why did astronauts drive Corvettes? For the same reason rock stars date supermodels. Because they could. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/12 "2023-08-29T16:47:28Z")
Where’s the corruption? Did Neil ‘steal’ moon rock to give the car dealership who sold them on Ebay? (And yes, I know there wasn’t an Ebay back then.) Did the spray paint the name of the dealership on the LEM? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/13 "2023-08-29T17:58:25Z")
Generally speaking, government employees may not accept gifts given because of their official position. > **[Rules on Gifts in the Federal Government](https://www.fedweek.com/ask/federal-government-policies/rules-gifts/)** > > Government ethical rules restrict giving and accepting gifts among employees and from outside interests. Policies on exchanges of gifts among ...More > **[Memo\_Gifts\_2018.pdf](https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/11/f58/Memo_Gifts_2018.pdf)** > > 149.37 KB And you are definitely not supposed to accept gifts from the same or different sources so frequently that a reasonable person would believe you are using your public office for private gain. A $1 Corvette every year, for example. > [@spifflog](#): > > Did Neil ‘steal’ moon rock to give the car dealership who sold them on Ebay? (And yes, I know there wasn’t an Ebay back then.) Did the spray paint the name of the dealership on the LEM? Did the owner of the dealership just coincidentally happen to be an extremely generous personal friend of each of the astronauts? Are we sure he absolutely in no way got any publicity or benefit in any way, shape, or form? ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/14 "2023-08-29T18:29:22Z")
I’m sure he did get publicity for it. But what harm came to the government? What did that cost the government? How was the taxpayer harmed? The majority of these rules are in place so that I don’t get a $1,000 dinner for my wife and I, and then I push a contract to DPRK Inc. If you could prove that Armstrong was involved in the contracting of leased vehicles to NASA and that he pushed business to this dealership I’m with you. But jumping on the excitement of the times by leasing a car to Armstong for $1 seems like a crime looking for a victim. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/15 "2023-08-29T19:01:45Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > If you could prove that Armstrong was involved in the contracting of leased vehicles to NASA and that he pushed business to this dealership I’m with you. That’s too lax a standard for anti-corruption measures. The concern is that if public servants are allowed to accept donations, they are personally befitting from their job, in ways that are not provided for by the law that governs their employment. And, these standards have to apply across the board. If not, the concept of making payments to the public servants begins to be entrenched, creating a culture of corruption. “If Armstrong gets a car for his job, why can’t I get some extra money for my job?” What’s the harm if Ivanka Trump uses her position in the White House to sell her products? Can you prove the taxpayers lost anything? What’s the harm in Clarence Thomas getting free vacations, a free house for his mother, and free tuition for his son? Can you prove he ruled in favour of the guy he gave him those things? Private profit from a public office is corruption. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/16 "2023-08-29T19:22:54Z")
[The Mercury astronauts were paid by the military](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Seven), which wasn’t a whole lot compared to civilian employment. > [@](#): > > The astronauts remained on active duty as military officers, and were paid according to their [rank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniformed_services_pay_grades_of_the_United_States). To supplement their travel, they were provided a $9 _[per diem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_diem)_ (equivalent to $90 in 2022) for day trips, and a $12 _per diem_ (equivalent to $120 in 2022) for overnight trips, which did not cover the cost of hotels and restaurant meals. As a result, astronauts avoided spending money while traveling, as they were personally responsible for costs over their allotted _per diem_. An important component of their income was monthly flight pay, which ranged from $190 to $245 (equivalent to $1,907 to $2,460 in 2022) The Right Stuff (book, not movie) detailed a bit of a rebellion in the ranks near the beginning of the program, because the astronauts couldn’t fly and therefore were taking a pay cut. Eventually some trainer jets were dug up so they could fly and get paid and stay “proficient” at flying. [Found this:](https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/50668/how-did-the-mercury-seven-compare-in-military-seniority) > [@](#): > > Glenn, Schirra and Shepard were in pay grade O-5 and thus had highest seniority. > Slayton was in pay grade O-4. > Carpenter, Cooper and Grissom were in pay grade O-3 and had lowest seniority. I’m not sure how to look up what those pay grades made in the 50’s, but _The Right Stuff_ asserts it wasn’t a whole lot. And if I’m not mistaken, housing, meals, lots of things were provided to active military that wasn’t available when these guys were detached to NASA. Should they get free cars? Probably not. But they were unique positions financially, and not good ones. Eventually astronauts became civilian employees of NASA, but I understand that was much later. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/17 "2023-08-29T19:54:58Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > but _The Right Stuff_ asserts it wasn’t a whole lot Here is the DoD pay table for 1958 (PDF): > **[MilPayTable1958.pdf](https://www.dfas.mil/Portals/98/MilPayTable1958.pdf)** > > 22.51 KB via [Historical Military Pay Charts 1949 to 2024](https://veteran.com/historical-military-pay-rates/) Depending on time-in-service (how long they had been in the military), we’re looking at $500 to $700 per month. (1958 dollars of course.) Not a whole lot. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/18 "2023-08-29T20:00:21Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Here is the DoD pay table for 1958 (PDF): Thanks for digging that up. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/19 "2023-08-29T22:23:23Z")
They couldn’t get life insurance policies, either. Strange to say, but State Farm decided the risk for Astronaut Coverage wasn’t going to pencil out. They were covered under the military SGLI I suppose, but this would have been barely adequate to ensure their family was taken care of. That was one reason they were stuffing first day covers in their personal kits. They wanted to have a side gig to make money. Even today they sell or auction autographs, flown items with provenance for cash to help make ends meet. The ethics concerns make sense, but it can be contradictory. We still don’t know the brand of golf ball Alan Shepard brought with him for his famous drives on the Moon. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858/20 "2023-08-29T22:32:22Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > They couldn’t get life insurance policies, either. Strange to say, but State Farm decided the risk for Astronaut Coverage wasn’t going to pencil out. From a pure direct calculation, they were probably right: Astronauting is a very risky business. But I’d think that, even if they had to pay out early on every one of those policies, it’d still be worth the advertising value. And if they’re just offering astronauts the same rate as everyone else, it’s much harder to make the corruption argument, because it’s not like there’s exactly precedent to say that astronaut life insurance should cost more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-astronauts-and-corvettes/981858.md?page=2)