More Space. ... and that it is in the very nature of humankind to explore. Sadly, that future hasn't yet arrived. November 4, 2015. The Mars One mission budget to bring just 4 people to Mars is over $6 billion. Each mission that was flown came at a cost of $450 million. Space. Space exploration is a hugely expensive affair. The number of these missions needs to be reduced. The Real Cost Of NASA Missions. Missions to explore space are hugely ... some people including myself opine that expensive space missions should be reduced and funds allocated for it must be tranfer to other problems that planet Earth is facing like climate changes, hunger and pandemics. By Shannon Stirone. Latest. Missions to explore space are hugely expensive, and there are problems on Earth which demand attention. The launch of a space shuttle costs $450 million and there have been about 130 of them. Do you agree or disagree? At the time of the moon landing in 1969, many people envisioned that by the beginning of the 21st century, space travel would become routine, and we would be visiting other planets in our solar system and perhaps even daring to venture into interstellar space.. NASA has spent 39 years and more than $209 billion on its iconic shuttle program. How much are we really paying to explore the universe? Missions to explore space are hugely expensive, and there are problems on Earth which demand attention. With the final shuttle mission to launch July 8, now is as good a time as any to ask: Was it worth it? Space missions are very dangerous and can often cost lives and stress to the families of the astronauts or cosmonauts. 3. Many lives have been lost in space expeditions. Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Even as technologies advance, the costs of exploring space are far from cheap. We must consume resources to get people or equipment into space. The MESSENGER mission cost $280 million (which, in reality, isn't a vast amount for a space mission). Technology. In fact, some people have started to question whether we need space travel anymore. The number of these missions needs to be reduced.