India's space ambitions face over 4x higher rocket launch costs than US, study shows

India's space ambitions face over 4x higher rocket launch costs than US, study shows

India faces a substantial cost gap with the United States for launching payloads. A recent study estimates India's cost at over $13,000 per kilogram by 2025. This contrasts with the United States' estimated cost of $3,225 per kilogram. The study highlights scale and experience as key factors for reducing launch expenses. India must increase launch frequency and build capabilities to compete globally.

India’s Rocket Launch Cost Nearly 4X Higher Than SpaceX’s ₹3.1 Lakh/Kg

India currently has the world’s highest satellite launch cost at about $13,302 per kg, nearly four times the U.S. average of $3,225 per kg. This figure reflects structural challenges in India’s space sector, despite its reputation for frugal mission budgets.India’s satellite launch cost figure of $13,302/kg (≈₹12.8 lakh/kg) is calculated by dividing the total launch expenditure of ISRO’s rockets by their payload capacity. This has been reported …

Can Space Launch Cost Asymmetries Reshape Geopolitical Power?

In 2025, Alessio Terzi and Francesco Nicoli estimate an average launch cost of $3,225 per kilogram for the United States and $9,897 per kilogram for Europe, measured in 2024 U.S. dollars and standardized to low Earth orbit. India stands at $13,302 per kilogram, Russia at $6,682, China at $5,809, and Japan at $5,287. Those space launch cost asymmetries form the central empirical result of Geopolitics and Space Access: Cost Asymmetries and Strateg…