What we're seeing now is a U.S.-Russian space program that takes advantage of the best assets that each country developed over the years. The U.S. had superior technology, while the Soviets had superior personnel for space travel. Interestingly, it looks like the Soviets were smart enough to figure out that a shuttle-type orbiter was not a very efficient vehicle at all ... so they never stopped using basic rockets to launch payloads and crews into space.
Gotta replace ISS with a 2001 Space Wheel if we are ever going to find the Black Obelisk...