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GCN there is a difference between Russia worship and being realistic. Russia built the Buran (their shuttle) and discovered that it was not going to be worth it. This was after they flew it unmanned and landed it perfectly (also unmanned, something that American technology has yet to perfect). We are riding Soyuz, and that should be evidence that we need to rethink our system. This means that we need to be realistic.
I do not support socialism (and that isn't what I was talking about). Let me explain. Because Russia does not have very many contractors, and they don't have the kind a red tape we do, they can speed things along.
They have more time (failures and successes) than we do (not just Mir either, check your history).
I did not say that they have a flourishing industry, I said they were rigorous. What I mean by that is they have scientists and engineers that really know their stuff, and they have an excited well-educated workforce to come.
I agree with you though, that we should go-it-alone. It's better for pride, and staying in control of our own destiny. On the other hand, I would sooner wish the mission accomplished somehow, than never getting off the drawing board.
I cannot help but be impressed with the Russians. They have been able to accomplish so many firsts and feats with many limitations.
A couple of advantages that the Russians have:
(1) They have a less complex, more reliable, more robust manned launch system.
(2) They know more about space stations.
(3) They have a promising youth and rigorous space industry.
(4) They don't suffer from the same space-economics (industry-controled) that we do.
lastly, (5) They may be able to gain the aid of other nations, whereas we have alienated many.
Terraformation is precisely making a world Earth-like.
As for life on Mars. Some claim that a frontier is exactly what we need to really continue to grow. I think that Mars will force a genesis of thought and creation, and I am entirely for terraformation, however, it is the frontier where we belong.
Certainly for longer missions/colonies.
If however, you're in the first stage of setting up a colony when resources are scarce and every man-hour and every breath of air counts the best course of action is to simply cross train (or simply select) the engineers and scientists in writing, communication, art, philosophy, etc.