That $ was in your and my pockets
Of course, the $$ from our pockets has long since been exceeded and now the war is being fought on borrowed funds with you and me paying the interest on them.
I'd have much rather gone to Mars even if it was on borrowed money. Would have been a lot more fun and we'd have gotten so many technology benefits from the science, who knows where we might be by now? Maybe even free from being held over an oil barrel.