Review
A rocket launch costs $28 million – and that’s the cheap part
Launching a rocket into space is far more complex than most people imagine. Behind every launch is a massive industrial operation involving thousands of parts, hundreds of engineers, and weeks of preparation. A single Falcon 9 rocket contains engines worth millions of dollars, hundreds of tons of fuel, and hardware transported across the United States before it ever reaches the launch pad. Even with reusable rockets, a typical launch still costs tens of millions of dollars. The scale of engineering and logistics required to reach orbit reveals why spaceflight remains one of the most difficult achievements in human technology.
