cost approximately $20.6 billion, encompassing expenses for the spacecraft, launch vehicles, and the development and operations leading up to the actual missions. When factoring in the costs of the ground facilities, employee salaries, and overhead, that total escalates to around $25.8 billion. Adjusted for 2025 inflation, utilizing the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), that amounts to about $189 billion.
Nevertheless, if you also take into account Project Gemini and the robotic lunar initiative, which preceded Apollo and warrant consideration, the actual cost is closer to $28 billion, adjusted to $280 billion in 2025. That’s a significant sum. It also equals the net worth of Jeff Bezos, one of the wealthiest individuals on Earth — actually more. Aside from envisioning the enormous pile of money, it underscores the extensive investment in the 13-year crewed moon missions, not only in financial terms but in total expenditure. It resulted in six successful lunar landings before the United States ended the program, a achievement that undoubtedly endures through time.
