In fairness those also had an explosion problem.

Soviets had automated more advanced shuttles, and they were abondoned after the fall. I'm also suprised Putin didn't revive the program.

It's much better than the Space Shuttle, at least on paper. The space shuttle as finally conceived was a horrible kludge of what was initially a simple, small space truck.

If/when Starship actually flies, it'd be the first step forward in super-heavy lift rocketry since the SaturnV/N1 was cancelled. Excepting the stand-alone Energia that never flew.