The Russians and Chinese have human space missions....we don’t. Not that we couldn’t if we really wanted to. But until we go BACK....we are not in any lead
Space-x has a manned capsule in the works to ferry astronauts to the space station. Should be ready in the next 18 months. Their ultimate goal is a trip to Mars.
This technology has implications FAR beyond saving money on launches . . . One of the requirements for establishing a base on the Moon or on Mars is the ability to do carefully targeted landings by resupply craft. We need to do better than the 9-by-55-mile oval characteristic of our Mars probes; at the same time, the occupants of a base would like to be sure the resupply craft wouldn’t land right on top of the base. If this technology can set a resupply craft down adjacent to (but not on top of) a base structure, that’s a considerable advancement.