How Much Does It Cost to Send a Crew to the Moon?
Short answer: NASA's Office of Inspector General put the production and operating cost of each of the first four Artemis missions (the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion spacecraft and ground systems) at $4.1 billion (2021 report). A landing adds the Human Landing System: SpaceX's Starship lander contract for Artemis III was worth $2.89 billion (2021), and Blue Origin's Blue Moon contract for Artemis V $3.4 billion (2023). Apollo cost $25.8 billion between 1960 and 1973, about $309 billion in 2025 dollars, by The Planetary Society's reconstruction.
List and rideshare prices as of 2026-10-11. Figures track the launch cost guide; contract prices vary.
Price by option
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SLS + Orion + ground systems, per Artemis mission | $4.1B (NASA OIG) | Production and operations for each of Artemis I to IV, excluding development (2021) |
| Starship HLS, Artemis III | $2.89B (contract) | Firm-fixed-price award, April 2021; requires orbital refueling |
| Blue Moon (Blue Origin), Artemis V | $3.4B (award value) | Firm-fixed-price award, May 2023; launches on New Glenn |
| Apollo program (1960 to 1973) | $25.8B then / ~$309B in 2025 dollars | The Planetary Society's reconstruction |
| Commercial robotic lunar delivery (CLPS) | ~$93.3M (example) | NASA's 2021 award to Firefly for its Blue Ghost lander: cargo, not crew |
The costs that are not on the price list
- Spacesuits and ground infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center are separate lines from the per-mission figure.
- Orbital refueling: Starship HLS needs several tanker flights per landing; the count is an open question.
- Cadence: SLS is expendable and flies rarely, so fixed costs sit on very few missions.
Frequently asked
How much did Apollo cost?
The Planetary Society's reconstruction puts Project Apollo at $25.8 billion between 1960 and 1973, about $309 billion adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Why does Artemis cost so much per launch?
SLS is expendable and flies rarely. NASA's inspector general found a production and operating cost of $4.1 billion per mission for the first four missions, before any lander.
What NASA is actually flying, and when: Artemis II to V with official dates, the two crew landers and Moon Base.
Run your own numbers
Mass, orbit, vehicle, insurance: the calculator does the delivered-cost math.
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Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Prices change; dates show when each was published or read.
- NASA OIG: $4.1B per-mission production and operating cost for the first four Artemis missions (SpacePolicyOnline, 2021-11-15)
- NASA picks SpaceX to land next Americans on the Moon: $2.89B (NASA, 2021-04-16)
- NASA selects Blue Origin as second Artemis lunar lander provider: $3.4B (NASA, 2023-05-19)
- How much did the Apollo program cost? ($25.8B; $309B in 2025 dollars) (The Planetary Society, 2026-10-11)
- NASA awards Firefly about $93.3M for a Moon delivery (Blue Ghost) (NASA, 2021-02-04)
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