Rocket launch costs have dropped 96% since 1960. How low can they go?
Rocket launch costs have plummeted 96% since 1960, with new projections suggesting prices could drop even further by 2030.
Velocity timeline
How fast coverage is spreading — measured hourly from article rate × source diversity. How this works →
The brief
Space cargo launch costs have seen a significant decline over the last several decades. According to a July 2026 study by economist Alessio Terzi and colleagues, which analyzed a dataset of 4,400 rockets flown since 1960, the cost of putting a kilogram into orbit is projected to fall to $27 from $3,868 last year.
Coverage from Space Daily, SingularityHub, and Space highlights the historical 96% drop in costs. heise online compares SpaceX to the East India Company of the current era, while Mobility Engineering Technology focuses on the continued downward trajectory of pricing. Future developments to monitor include the realization of an expected 50 percent decrease in space cargo launch costs by 2030.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 6h ago.
Quick answers
How much have launch costs dropped since 1960?
Costs have fallen by 96%.
What is the projected cost per kilogram for orbit?
Alessio Terzi and colleagues project the price will fall to $27 from $3,868 last year.
What is the expectation for costs by 2030?
A new study expects space cargo launch costs to fall by 50 percent by 2030.
Coverage (5)
- New Study Expects Space Cargo Launch Costs to Fall by 50 Percent by 2030 Mobility Engineering Technology · 23h ago
- Transport of payload into space: SpaceX as the East India Company of our time heise online · 23h ago
- In July 2026, Cambridge economist Alessio Terzi and colleagues published the largest launch-cost dataset ever assembled — 4,400 rockets flown since 1960 — and projected that the price of putting a kilogram into orbit will fall from $3,868 last year to $27 Space Daily · 23h ago
- Space Launch Costs Have Fallen 96% Since 1960. They Aren’t Done Yet. SingularityHub · 23h ago
- Rocket launch costs have dropped 96% since 1960. How low can they go? Space · 23h ago broke it first
People, places & organizations
Topics
Related trends
SpaceX suffers rare, last-second Falcon 9 rocket launch abort
SpaceX experienced a rare last-second Falcon 9 launch abort at Vandenberg, marking the company's second engine anomaly this week.
Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest adds another $57M to SpaceX, sells $39M stake in AMD
Cathie Wood's ARK Invest is pivoting its portfolio, significantly increasing its position in SpaceX while exiting holdings in AMD.
SpaceX Stock Closes At Fresh Low After Seven Straight Days Of Losses
SpaceX stock has hit a new low following seven consecutive days of losses, erasing $1.4 trillion in market value.
Twice in a row: SpaceX rocket aborts launch at last second again (video)
SpaceX faces a deepening stock sell-off following consecutive last-second rocket launch aborts.
Wall Street indexes fall, with Iran and earnings season in focus
Wall Street indexes decline as investors balance Middle East tensions, political comments, and the arrival of Big Tech earnings.
SpaceX is quietly building an AI compute business that may become key to its eye-popping valuation
SpaceX is developing an AI compute business and orbital data centers, potentially driving a significant increase in the company's valuation.