It is noteworthy that Wikipedia gives as cost for the Artemis program a total sum of US$93+ billion (2012–2025).
It is a bit difficult to compare, because NASA shuffles around cost, and the plan is that Artemis will do way more (moon base) than Apollo. But Apollo seems to have been not only a technological marvel, but exceptionally well managed?
Regarding Manhattan project it has this mythical quality (the name alone is cool), but the Russians had the a-bomb only 4 years later and smaller countries (South Africa) are able to achieve it too.
Or did it simply benefit being done in a time where the critical components were less valuable? After all, projects like Apollo reveal to us new uses for materials, people, etc. so they tend to become more valuable afterwards.
Regarding the Manhattan project: you can't compare the cost of research and developing a novel device vs the cost of developing the same device using stolen secrets.
It is a bit difficult to compare, because NASA shuffles around cost, and the plan is that Artemis will do way more (moon base) than Apollo. But Apollo seems to have been not only a technological marvel, but exceptionally well managed?
Regarding Manhattan project it has this mythical quality (the name alone is cool), but the Russians had the a-bomb only 4 years later and smaller countries (South Africa) are able to achieve it too.