Top 3 Most Expensive NASA Science Missions Ever

Ranking the highest-budget space exploration programs in history by adjusted 2026 dollar values.

The top 3

1. Apollo Program Budget Peak: The Apollo program remains the costliest, totaling approximately $257 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars.
2. Space Shuttle Program Lifecycle Cost: The 30-year Space Shuttle program reached a lifetime cost of over $200 billion to maintain orbital operations.
3. James Webb Space Telescope Investment: The James Webb Space Telescope project cost roughly $10 billion, representing the most expensive modern astrophysics mission. James Webb Space Telescope

Sources

• The Planetary Society

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