In the wake of the Axiom-4 space mission that saw Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla ride onboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Grace to the International Space Station (ISS), there has been a rise in interest in space exploration. Shukla’s voyage to the ISS brings India back to the stage of manned missions, continuing the chapter after Cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma’s flight onboard the Russian Soyuz T-11 spacecraft in 1984.
While India accelerates preparations for its upcoming Gaganyaan manned missions, it gives us a good opportunity to take a look at some of the most historic space missions from across the globe from both ends of the price spectrum. We explore the most expensive space missions that humanity has ever taken, followed by the cheapest space missions that have made the most out of limited resources.
Unsurprisingly, the list of the most expensive missions consists of voyages from NASA. As for the ones on the strictest of budgets, India’s ISRO dominates the list.
The most expensive space missions ever flown
International Space Station (ISS)
Project cost: $150 billion
The ISS is not only the most expensive space mission but also the most expensive single object ever built by humans, with an estimated cost exceeding $150 billion. Some sources even cite up to $160 billion or more, accounting for contributions from all participating nations. The ISS is a joint project involving NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada). The construction of the space station spanned over a decade, and even today, it continues to incur significant annual operating costs. NASA will continue to operate it into the 2030s and is planning to decommission the station in 2031 by using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to pull it down to the Earth’s atmosphere.
Space Shuttle Program (NASA, USA):
Project cost: $113 billion
NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, which operated from 1981 to 2011, had a total estimated cost of $113 billion. The idea with the space shuttle was to have a fleet of reusable space vehicles that could carry cargo to the space. The five shuttles played a crucial role in building the ISS and undertaking several other space missions. With 135 completed missions, it remains one of the most ambitious space missions the world has ever seen.
Apollo Program (NASA, USA)
Project cost: $25 million in 1960s
The Apollo space program put man on the Moon. For such an ambitious mission that no human had ever dreamt of, NASA had to endure total costs of $25 billion in the 1960s, which translates to $257 million in today’s money. The missions ran from 1961 to 1972, with the last seven missions dedicated to the Moon landings. The Apollo mission achieved humanity’s first Moon landing with Apollo 11 in 1969, making astronaut Neil Armstrong the first human being on the Moon.
Cheapest space missions ever flown
Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) / Mangalyaan (ISRO, India)
Project cost: $74 million (Rs 450 crore)
The Mangalyaan mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2013 is widely recognised as the cheapest space mission ever. It cost approximately $74 million (around Rs 450 crore), which also made it the cheapest Mars mission ever undertaken. Mangalyaan successfully entered Mars orbit on its first attempt, a feat that showcased ISRO’s frugal engineering, indigenous parts manufacturing and efficient planning, all on a tight budget. The entire space mission cost less than the Hollywood space movie “Gravity.”
Chandrayaan-3 (ISRO, India):
Project cost: $75 million
Following the Mangalyaan mission, ISRO achieved a similar feat with the Chandrayaan-3, which became the second cheapest space mission ever to be flown at $75 million. The spacecraft landed on the Moon’s south pole in August 2023 and included the Pragyaan rover as an experimental lunar vehicle. Chandrayaan-3 completed its mission goals successfully and while the lunar vehicles are no longer in service, the propulsion module now orbits the Earth to facilitate scientific studies.
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) (NASA, USA):
Project cost: $280 million
Contrary to popular belief, NASA had one cost-effective mission launched in 2013, called, LADEE. This robotic mission was designed to study the Moon’s exosphere and dust environment. It was developed and operated with a budget of approximately $280 million, which is relatively low for a NASA planetary science mission.
