How much does a Space Shuttle cost?
Typical cost
1,600,000,000 $
The reusable NASA orbiter flown on 135 missions between 1981 and 2011.
Average cost per launch across the programme, in 2011 dollars.
How that compares
Space Shuttle against things of a similar money.
Hubble Space Telescope 4,700,000,000 $
One World Trade Center 3,900,000,000 $
Shanghai Tower 2,400,000,000 $
Cruise ship 2,000,000,000 $
Nuclear submarine 2,000,000,000 $
Space Shuttle 1,600,000,000 $
Burj Khalifa 1,500,000,000 $
Saturn V 1,230,000,000 $
How to read this figure
This is a typical purchase price, not a quote. Actual prices move with specification, brand and where you buy.
Prices are in US dollars and are indicative only. They date faster than anything else on this site — treat them as an order of magnitude. Installation, delivery and tax are excluded unless the note above says otherwise.
More about a Space Shuttle
- How much does a Space Shuttle weigh? 78–2,030 t
- Space Shuttle vs Boeing 737 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Train carriage Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs International Space Station Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Boeing 747 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Airbus A380 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Saturn V Side by side
Common questions
- How much does a Space Shuttle cost?
- A Space Shuttle costs 1,600,000,000 $. Average cost per launch across the programme, in 2011 dollars.
Related pages
- How much does a Space Shuttle weigh? 78–2,030 t
- How much does a Boeing 747 cost? 260,000,000 $
- How much does a Saturn V cost? 1,230,000,000 $
- How much does a International Space Station cost? 150,000,000,000 $
- How much does a aircraft carrier cost? 8,500,000,000 $
- How much does a Airbus A380 cost? 445,600,000 $
- How much does a Hubble Space Telescope cost? 4,700,000,000 $
- How much does a cruise ship cost? 2,000,000,000 $
- How much does a Boeing 737 cost? 106,000,000 $
- How much does a Falcon 9 cost? 67,000,000 $
- How much does a shipping container cost? 1,500–7,000 $
- Space Shuttle vs Boeing 737 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Train carriage Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs International Space Station Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Boeing 747 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Airbus A380 Side by side
- Space Shuttle vs Saturn V Side by side
Sources
- NASA — National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Public domain (US Government))