Many believe that space is expensive and impractical. But in reality this is not always the case. Therefore, today I would like to show in 20 examples how the cost of space missions relates to something closer to our “earthly” life.
Note: prices are based on the cost of servicing the devices and are based on 2017 prices (including inflation). Under the comparison are brief achievements of scientific missions.')
The satellite worked less than a year from the planned two, but still made a sensation - with the help of it, it was possible to find water at the lunar poles (water was also found by the Apollo missions, but it was considered that it was included in the samples already on Earth). The satellite contained 10 different instruments (including a camera) and a shock probe.
| $ 60 million | $ 79 million |
|---|
| The cost of construction of a 27-storey residential building "Antilia" in Mumbai | The cost of the mission "Mangalyan" - the first unit sent by India to Mars |
The satellite has already worked for 3 years instead of 6 months and continues to study morphology, topology and mineralogy (using a
color camera ), as well as to study the content of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Mars, the leakage of volatile substances from the atmosphere of Mars and its seasonal changes.
In addition to studying the topography, composition and density of the asteroid in place, this spacecraft delivered about 1,500 microparticles of its soil, with the help of which it was established that this asteroid was once part of a larger asteroid, and the composition of its substance is similar to
S class asteroids.
| $ 239 million | $ 173 million |
|---|
| The cost of the complex "Tower on the Embankment" (of 3 buildings at 17, 27 and 60 floors) in Moscow | The cost of the mission "Phobos-Grunt" - the second Russian apparatus designed to study the system of Mars |
The purpose of the mission was the delivery of soil from the satellite of Mars (Phobos). This was supposed to clarify the origin of the satellites of Mars and the processes of formation of small bodies during the formation of the solar system.
The spectrometers as well as the gamma and neutron detector of the apparatus made it possible to establish the composition of two asteroids, which have remained almost intact since the formation of the solar system. For 10 years of his work, he also received
88 thousand photos (of which even amounted to
360 ° video ). In addition, the device conducted a test of ion engines that allow it to have a
delta-V of more than 10 km / s.
Like the Dawn mission, this device should significantly advance us in studying the processes underlying the formation of the solar system.
| 1.4 mlr $ | $ 1.1 billion |
|---|
| The cost of building the Wembley Stadium in London | The cost of Juno's mission to study the atmosphere and structure of Jupiter |
This space probe is designed to study the magnetic and gravitational field of the planet (including the establishment of the fact of the presence or absence of a solid core in Jupiter).
Two rovers were able to detect a lot of evidence of the
presence of water on the surface of Mars in the past (including finding hematite, gypsum and traces of erosion on rocks). To fix
sand whirls on the surface of Mars and establish that the
pH of the ancient seas could be neutral. One of the rovers continues to work after 13 years.
| $ 1.68 billion | 1.56 billion $ |
|---|
| The cost of building a skyscraper "Burj Khalifa" in Dubai | The cost of the mission "Voyagers" with service until 1990 |
Two "Voyagers" managed to detect the first lightning, a volcano and the sea on the surface of a celestial body outside the Earth. Detect the first cryovolcano and champions in mass, magnetic field strength, wind speed and albedo in the solar system. To discover a total of 24 new satellites from 4 gas giants, thus becoming perhaps the most successful automatic mission in the entire history of astronautics.
| 2.76 billion $ | $ 2.5 billion |
|---|
| The cost of building a gambling and hotel complex "City of Dreams" in Macau | The cost of the mission of the rover "Curiosity" (at the moment) |
This rover was able to establish the level of radiation on the surface of Mars, to detect methane in the atmosphere and organic compounds in the soil. Despite a number of breakdowns, the rover continues to work after
5 years .
| 2.75 billion $ | $ 3.9 billion |
|---|
| The cost of the invisible bomber B-2 "Spirit" with service until 2004 (the whole program costs $ 57.8 billion) | Cassini-Huygens station and probe cost (studying the Saturn / Titan system) |
The Huygens probe was able to find some evidence of cryovolcanism on Titan, while Cassini station managed to work
for almost 20 years , discovering the subglacial ocean on Enceladus, 3 seas and many lakes on Titan, 7 new Saturn satellites and exploring in detail most of the already famous.
| $ 5 billion | About $ 7 billion |
|---|
| The cost of the headquarters of Apple - "Apple Park" | The cost of construction of the orbital station "Mir" |
Thanks to this station, it was possible to significantly advance in the study of long-term human flights in space (including setting an absolute record of
437 days of continuous stay in space) as well as in ensuring its long-term viability, which was later used in the construction and operation of the ISS. Some systems of the MIR station (such as a fully closed water life support system and a shower) are still unique.
The output of this telescope into orbit should allow us to significantly advance in the study of the early Universe, reaching moments up to 400 thousand years (the
physical limit of observation of early events).
| $ 16 billion | $ 11.86 billion |
|---|
| The cost of the high-rise complex "Abraj al-Beit" in Mecca | The cost of the Hubble telescope (at the moment) |
This telescope made more than
1 million observations and countless photos (of such quality and beauty that now many editions compete by choosing either
25 or
50 of his best photos). And also to provide 3 scientists working on the project
Nobel Prize in 2011.
This year, NASA continued to prepare the
most powerful rocket and
spacecraft for the asteroid and Mars in the world, support several companies competing to reduce the price of putting cargo into orbit (such as SpaceX) with orders, launched a
satellite to the Moon , continued to
explore the radiation belts and Mars with using two rovers, to support the work of a heap of scientific satellites. She conducted courses for 112 thousand students, and one of the
NASA probes went beyond the solar system.
The goals that should be achieved with the help of these tools
include : creating a new
spacecraft and
launch vehicle , servicing three spaceports, ISS and many enterprises, increasing the reliability of launch vehicles up to 99%, increasing the average life of spacecraft for several years, launching 46 satellites (including 9 scientific ones), increasing the efficiency of using the Russian segment of the ISS and reducing production costs.
| $ 33.9 billion | $ 39.2 billion |
|---|
| The cost of construction of the tunnel under the English Channel | NASA budget for 2016 and 2017 |
During this period,
OSIRIS-REx was launched, and
"Juno" went into Jupiter's orbit, and NASA continued to support all those projects that were in 2013.
| About $ 125 billion | $ 164 billion |
|---|
| Cost of anti-missile defense system "Aegis" (at the moment) | Cost of construction and maintenance of the ISS until 2010 |
14 countries are participating in this most expensive scientific project of the World. Among his achievements are countless biological, chemical and physical experiments, long-term exposure of samples in weightlessness and open space, as well as providing cheap (and even sometimes free) output of cubsat for both commercial and scientific and educational organizations.
| 805 billion $ | $ 795 billion |
|---|
| Funds allocated by the US government to support banks during the 2008 crisis | The entire NASA budget for the first 40 years of its existence (1958-1998) |
Achievements achieved with these funds include the first launches of research stations to Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, sending the first truly successful missions to Mars orbit and its surface (including the first
working rover ). The first
manual docking in space and the landing of
12 people on the moon, the creation of 6 Space Shuttles and the transportation of almost half of the people who have ever been in space - the list can probably be continued indefinitely.
| $ 1508 billion | $ 1126 billion |
|---|
| Cost of the F-35 fighter-bomber program (2006–2070) | The entire NASA budget for all time of its existence (1958-2017) |
To the previous almost endless list is added such missions as:
Cassini ,
second and
third generation of Mars rovers,
Mars Odyssey and
MRO ,
MAVEN ,
New Horizons and
Juno ,
Messenger - and this is not a complete list of only scientific programs for studying the Solar System (! ) from NASA lately. But besides this - 2/3 of all people who have ever been there have been in space with these funds, a lot of rockets have been created and our own planet has been explored.
Post scriptum: The cost of all real estate on the
island of Manhattan (one of the 5
New York districts) exceeded $ 3 trillion in 2013. This is more than the most optimistic estimates of how much all the states together have spent on space so far. The population of Manhattan is about 1.7 million people, and its area is less than 59 km
2 . Is a small piece of Earth for people more important than the entire solar system or even the whole Universe? Perhaps this is a rhetorical question ...
If you have other examples or you have found a mistake with me - please in the comments.