Why does it cost SO much money to send a rocket into space?

Question: Why does it cost SO much money to send a rocket into space?
- Keywords:
  funding,
  money,
  rocket,
  space,
  travel
Asked by lfcdansk to Claire on 26 Jun 2013.
- Claire Lee answered on 26 Jun 2013:
  
  Good question! Mainly because you have one and only one chance to get it right – so you’d better make sure you get it right!
  
  There are a lot of factors that go into this – the research and development and testing, the fuel, the electronics to manage the fuel, the stuff you build your rocket out of, which has to be light but able to withstand a lot of pressure from both inside and outside…. All the electronics and mechanics to keep it on track and not shooting off into a crazy direction. And that’s the easy part – if you want to put humans or something in there it just gets worse!!

Question: Why does it cost SO much money to send a rocket into space?