“all collectivist methods are a fail when it comes to innovation”
‘Tis true. On a lighter side, the joke is told about the millions of dollars spent by NASA to develop a pen that writes in zero-g. When faced with the same problem, the Soviets used a pencil.
But the Soviet “science” employed during the space race was actually an exercise in exploitation. Using the German scientists captured after WWII, the Russians put forth a space program but really didn’t do much else than allow the captured Germans to develop their dreams while being treated fairly well as they were valuable to the communist cause. Stalin knew this, as did Khrushchev.
When real innovation was required, the Soviets fell far, far behind. In fact, they still use basically the same rocket that propelled Gagarin into Earth orbit in order to sent capsules into space.
The Buran shuttle was an adaptation of US technology. They are innovative in that they can adapt existing technologies and substitute when costly materials are not available but inspired thinking and creativity are stymied. In fact, in Belenko’s book, “MiG Pilot” when the US got a look at the super secret MiG-25 he flew to Japan, American engineers were amazed at their mastery of miniaturizing the vacuum tube. In the 70′s the Soviets still could not develop solid state circuitry, which they now have, with our help.
Our lead in all things space is probably at an end, though I hope it’s temporary. I am divided between using federal tax dollars and letting the private sector do it. I would feel much better about private sector if the Hambone administration hadn’t put up so many walls to private industry and continuing to try to make us a third-world nation by spending all the money into the toilet intentionally while simultaneously destroying the existing space program to be a platform for junk science and favored research grants to support same.
