Written By Pranav Sawant
Published By: Pranav Sawant | Published: Aug 23, 2023, 05:37 PM (IST)
Image: ISRO
India is about to create history as Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram lander will set foot on the South pole of the moon’s surface later today. While it marches further, it’s worth noting that Chandrayaan 3-moon mission is the most cost-effective space mission. Also Read: Vikram-1 successfully reaches orbit, marking a historic first for India’s private space sector
Chandrayaan 3 including its Vikram Lander, Pragyan Rover, and Propulsion module costs less than some Hollywood and Bollywood films. It is two and a half times the reported budget of Luna 25 of Russia (USSR). And it is way cheaper than Apollo 11 of the United States of America. Also Read: Skyroot Vikram-1 launch today: Everything you need to know about India’s first private orbital rocket
So how much does the Chandrayaan 3 mission cost? Let’s see. Also Read: ISRO changes resignation policy as more than 100 scientists reportedly exit
Chandrayaan 3’s total cost comes down to around Rs 615 crore, according to former ISRO Chairman K Sivan. The lander, rover, and propulsion modules cost around Rs 215 crore. The launch costs are estimated to be Rs 365 crore.
For comparison, Russia’s Luna-25 costs roughly Rs 1,600 crore. America’s Apollo 11 costed way more than that since it was the first manned Moon mission back in 1969.
Interestingly, Chandryaan 3’s Rs 615 crore budget is less than the recently released movie Adipurush. Adipurush’s budget was around Rs 700 crore. Furthermore, the latest moon mission is way cheaper than the budget of space-based movies like Interstellar (Rs1,368 crore) and The Martian (Rs 885 crore).