Space Mission Cost Estimator Calculator

Total mission cost from spacecraft mass and destination.

Spacecraft mass (kg)

Mission class (0-3)

Target orbit (0-3)

Mission duration (years)

TRL (1-9)

Tab to move between fields

Launch cost ($M)

1.4

Total mission cost ($M)

37.4

Spacecraft bus ($M)11.9

Payload/instruments ($M)4.8

Integration & test ($M)2.5

Operations ($M)6

Reserves ($M)5.6

Cost per kg ($/kg)74,730

How to Use This Calculator

Enter spacecraft mass (kg) and select mission class (Discovery, New Frontiers, Flagship, or commercial).
Set target orbit and mission duration (years), and technology readiness level (TRL 1–9).
Review cost breakdown: bus, payload, integration/test, launch, operations, and total mission cost ($M).
Low TRL levels dramatically increase cost and schedule risk — budget 30–50% contingency for TRL < 6.
Use these estimates for early mission feasibility studies before detailed design and costing.

How the result changes with Spacecraft mass (kg)

Spacecraft mass (kg): Dry mass of the spacecraft (without launch vehicle). CubeSat: 1-20 kg, SMEX: 100-500 kg, Flagship: 2000+ kg.
Mission class (0-3): 0 = SmallSat (<$50M), 1 = Discovery (~$500M cap), 2 = New Frontiers (~$1B cap), 3 = Flagship ($2B+).
Target orbit (0-3): 0 = LEO, 1 = GTO/GEO, 2 = Lunar, 3 = Interplanetary (Mars+).
Mission duration (years): Planned primary mission duration in years.
TRL (1-9): Technology Readiness Level. 9=flight-proven, 6=prototype, 3=proof-of-concept. Lower TRL = higher development cost.

Spacecraft bus ($M): Spacecraft bus development and fabrication cost.
Payload/instruments ($M): Scientific instruments and payload cost.
Integration & test ($M): Systems integration, assembly, and environmental testing.
Launch cost ($M): Launch vehicle cost based on mass and target orbit.
Operations ($M): Mission operations over the planned lifetime.
Reserves ($M): Cost reserves per NASA policy (25-30% of development).
Total mission cost ($M): All-in estimated mission cost including reserves.
Cost per kg ($/kg): Total mission cost divided by spacecraft mass.

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Spacecraft mass (kg) = 500, Mission class (0-3) = 1, Target orbit (0-3) = 0, Mission duration (years) = 3 = 5 input(s) provided
Calculate Launch cost
Launch cost = (spacecraftMassKg * launchCostPerKg) / 1e6
1.4 = 1.4
Calculate Total mission cost
Total mission cost = subtotalM + reservesM
37.4 = 37.4
Calculate Spacecraft bus
Spacecraft bus = cf.busK * pow(spacecraftMassKg, 0.654) * trlFactor
11.9 = 11.9
Calculate Payload/instruments
Payload/instruments = busCostM * cf.payloadFrac * trlFactor
4.8 = 4.8