Top 10: What are the top 10 most expensive space missions?

One small step for man, one big dig into humanity’s pocket.


1

Space Shuttle Program

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1981-2011

Cost: $199bn

2

International Space Station

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1998-2020

Cost: $160bn (estimated)

3

Apollo Space Program

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1961-1972

Cost: $109bn

4

SLS and Orion

(NASA’s replacement manned rocket and capsule)

© Acute Graphics

Date: 2014-2018

Cost: $23bn (estimated)

5

Global Positioning System (GPS)

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1978-present

Cost: $12bn

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1990-present

Cost: $10bn

7

Salyut 6

© Acute Graphics

Date: 1977-1982

Cost: $9bn

8

James Webb Space Telescope

© Acute Graphics

Date: Scheduled for 2018

Cost: $8.8bn (estimated)

9

Galileo

© Acute Graphics

(Europe’s GPS)

Date: 2016

Cost: $6.3bn (estimated)

10

GLONASS

© Acute Graphics

(Russia’s GPS)

Date: 1982-present

Cost: $4.7bn

*(Figures in billions of US dollars, adjusted for inflation)

Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.