From the early days of human space activity in the 1960s, missions to the Moon have attracted significant global attention. India’s recent success in landing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon was technically demanding and occurred in a previously unexplored part of the Moon.

As well as the scientific benefits, India has already enjoyed the significant attention that still accompanies high profile space missions, gaining news coverage across the globe.

There are always considerable demands upon government spending. So why do some countries continue to put substantial resources into space activity? And does this type of success produce tangible national and international benefits beyond a few days in the media spotlight?

Though it sounds inordinately expensive to outsiders, getting a nation into space is no longer necessarily as costly as it used to be. Access to space is getting cheaper, especially for nations who have access to their own launch vehicles.

This is illustrated by the relatively low cost of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Initially, the budget was a relatively modest US$70m (£55m). Although the final cost has not publicly disclosed, it is believed to rival the lowest cost lunar lander missions currently under development in the US.

Lowering the cost of space missions has meant a dramatic increase in the number of countries looking to have a presence in space. India has now produced at least 140 commercial space companies registered with the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs, that, between them, have attracted US$120 million in investment at a rate that is doubling on an annual basis.