The Artemis space mission comes with a hefty price tag

NASA's Artemis program has the goal of returning humanity to the Moon, as well as allowing humans to set foot on Mars for the first time.

According to NASA, this program will use new technologies to study the Moon's surface and allow astronauts to have a permanent presence on the Moon. This ambitious mission could tell us more about the Moon and Mars than we ever knew before, including the opportunities to help humanity in the long run. But with that beautifully drawn perspective, how much did this show cost to make?

Recently, a NASA auditor appeared before the US Congress to discuss the Artemis program. Speaking to lawmakers during a meeting of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, NASA Inspector General Paul Martin stated: "We find that the first four Artemis missions will cost 4.1 billion dollars per launch, a price we consider unsustainable." On top of that, the Artemis program is expected to be worth about $93 billion by 2025, according to Space.com.

The Artemis program is an American aerospace project with the goal of returning humans to the Moon by 2024. The program is being implemented primarily by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). , commercial space companies of the United States, in collaboration with international partners such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (JA). CSA) and the Australian Space Agency (ASA).

Why is going to space so expensive?

The reasons behind NASA's Artemis program's high costs are complex, as there are many factors that contribute to the consistently high costs. According to a report released by NASA's Office of Inspector General, the biggest cost to the Artemis program came from the development of the exploration system. This includes the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Crew Capsule, which are the most important parts needed for the Artemis missions.

According to NASA, the SLS is a super-heavy launch vehicle that will allow the Orion Crew Capsule to escape Earth's gravity. Furthermore, this booster will allow NASA to use it for multiple missions. Perhaps most importantly, though, NASA explains the SLS is the only rocket capable of carrying the payload that Artemis will need.

NASA succeeded in sending a man to the Moon for the first time through the Apollo program with a total of 6 Apollo missions and 12 astronauts landing on the Moon from 1969 to 1972. However, the goal of the Artemis program was not. not only to bring humans back, but also to maintain a long-term human presence on the Moon, and to enable private US companies to explore the economic interests of the Moon. The program also aims to lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars.

Based on price and payload estimates released by NASA, Universe Today reports that it will cost $58,000 per kilogram launched. Factors that contribute to the payload's enormous weight include fuel, parts, personnel, and cargo.

Surprisingly, NASA's Artemis program is not the most expensive to come from the space agency. According to The Planetary Society, the United States spent about $28 billion to fund the Apollo missions, which is about $280 billion today. The Apollo program wasn't the only project NASA funded during that time. The agency spent an estimated $49.4 billion ($482 billion today) in total between 1960 and 1973.

While these numbers may seem shocking, they are not surprising when compared to other US spending. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NASA received 0.5% of the $4.8 trillion federal budget for 2021.

According to a NASA economic impact study, the agency generated more than $64.3 billion in economic output and supported more than 312,000 jobs nationwide in 2019. Despite its high price tag, but NASA's Artemis program could mean further economic growth for the United States, leading to more jobs, or new breakthroughs in new technologies and discoveries.

Artemis builds on ongoing spacecraft programs including Orion, Lunar Gateway, Commercial Lunar Payload Services and one more undeveloped lander. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will serve as the primary launch vehicle for the Orion spacecraft, while commercial companies' spacecraft launch services are planned to be used to launch components. other of the program. In August 2021, NASA announced the program's Moon module as the Starship spacecraft. Returning humans to the Moon could be delayed from 2024 to 2028 due to budgetary constraints from the US Congress.