Study of 90 missions finds NASA $1B projects yield breakthroughs
A new study has found that NASA missions costing over $1 billion are much more likely to lead to major scientific breakthroughs and highly cited research.
Looking at 90 missions since 1994, researchers saw that the priciest projects delivered the most impact, while cheaper missions (under $100 million) often struggled to produce big results or even succeed.
Ari Koeppel warns low-cost missions inadequate
The study's lead author, Ari Koeppel, put it simply: "It requires really strong technological advances that I don't think will be achieved through low-cost missions."
But not every mission needs a blockbuster budget; mid-tier projects ($250 million to $750 million) often balance cost and reliability well.
They're quicker too, usually taking about six years to deliver solid science, sometimes faster than the $1 billion flagships.