Most Expensive Space Science Missions in History

A comparison of the financial scale and development costs behind humanity's most ambitious extraterrestrial exploration projects.

The top 3

1. James Webb Space Telescope: $10 Billion: As the most costly telescope ever built, its development spanned over two decades and involved thousands of scientists. James Webb Space Telescope
2. Hubble Space Telescope: Over $16 Billion (Adjusted): When factoring in decades of shuttle service missions and maintenance, Hubble remains the highest financial investment in space astronomy. Hubble Space Telescope
3. Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: ~$4 Billion: A high-efficiency project designed to deliver massive scientific returns relative to its multi-billion dollar development cost. Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Sources

• The Planetary Society

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