Actually they are looking at abandoning all manned vehicles to the space station as well relying on antiquated Russian vehicles for the trips to and from while the thing still remains operational. As for non manned missions, these are irellivent other than from a purely scientific perspective.

What it means is that the US is abandoning the lead in the most important technological arena to whoever want's to fill it. And I'd be willing to bet that places like China and possibly India are well aware of what that means.

As Niall Ferguson said "were' witnessing the end of a five hundred year trend in history towards the west. America was the last nation to beneffit from that trend but now the tides are shifting towards the east" I paraphrase but that's the gist of it.

Or as Arthur C Clarke once wrote...

"The choice, as Wells once said, is the universe -- or nothing... The challenge of the
great spaces between the worlds is a stupendous one; but if we fail to meet it, the
story of our race will be drawing to a close. Humanity will have turned its back upon
the still untrodden heights and will be descending again the long slope that stretches,
across a thousand million years of time, down to the shores of the primeval sea."
- Arthur C. Clarke

Well. The USA may not be about to de-evolve to a slime mould in the near future but those who who think it's a good thing for the country to not just surrender the lead but to completely turn it's back on the next historical revolution in human development have a strange view in my opinion.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S