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Top 5 Most Expensive Space Missions in History – Must-Know GK for Competitive Exams!

Mastering current affairs and general knowledge is key to cracking competitive exams. Space missions, especially the most expensive ones, are a hot topic in SSC, PSC, NID, NIFT, and other entrance tests. This complete guide covers the top 5 costliest space missions, helping you prepare easily and score higher!

Top 5 Most Expensive Space Missions in the World
Space exploration has always been a high-cost, high-reward endeavor. From moon landings to deep-space telescopes, these missions push scientific boundaries—and budgets. Here are the five most expensive space missions ever launched:

1. International Space Station (ISS) — $150 Billion
A multinational collaboration between the USA (NASA), Russia (Roscosmos), Japan (JAXA), Europe (ESA), and Canada (CSA).
Took over a decade to build (1998–2011) and has been continuously inhabited since 2000.
Orbits 250 miles above Earth, serving as a hub for scientific research and testing long-duration spaceflight effects.
Costs $3 billion annually to maintain—nearly one-third of NASA’s budget!

2. Space Shuttle Program — $113 Billion
NASA’s reusable spacecraft program ran for 30 years (1981–2011).
Completed 135 missions, including launching the Hubble Telescope and helping build the ISS.
Featured five shuttles: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.

3. Apollo Program — $25 Billion
Born from the Cold War space race, aiming to land humans on the Moon.
Six successful moon landings (1969–1972), including Neil Armstrong’s historic first step.
Used the Saturn V rocket, the most powerful ever built.

4. Hubble Space Telescope — $16 Billion
Orbits 515 km above Earth, capturing crystal-clear images of deep space.
Launched in 1990, still operational alongside the James Webb Telescope.
Travels at 27,000 kph, completing an orbit every 95 minutes.

5. James Webb Space Telescope — $10 Billion
The most advanced space telescope, launched in 2021.
Orbits the Sun (not Earth) at 1.5 million km away.
Designed to study the oldest galaxies and exoplanet atmospheres.

Why is This Important for Exams?
Frequently asked in GK sections of SSC, PSC, UPSC, NID, NIFT, and other exams.
Helps in current affairs preparation, especially for science and technology topics.
Understanding space missions improves logical and analytical reasoning skills.

Sample Questions & Answers
Q: Which is the most expensive space mission ever?
A: International Space Station (ISS) at $150 billion.
Q: How much did the Apollo Program cost?
A: Around $25 billion (adjusted for inflation).
Q: Which telescope orbits the Sun instead of Earth?
A: The James Webb Space Telescope.
Q: How many Space Shuttle missions were completed?
A: 135 missions between 1981–2011.
Q: What is the altitude of the Hubble Telescope’s orbit?
A: Approximately 515 km above Earth.