With the right investments in
nanotechnology,
artificial intelligence and biotech (the latter will be needed in order to overcome the medical issues pertaining to long space missions,) we can leave the rest of the world in the dust. Those technologies would enable the construction of relatively inexpensive spacecraft that are as far advanced over what we have now, as a Ferrari is over a tricycle. All it takes is the will to succeed. Unfortunately, we may no longer have it as a nation.
