The ones before the mention where not better…

Like I get it the shuttle looks cool. But it also set records for the most expensive to orbit costs, while it had the purpose of saving money getting things to orbit.

I am just baffled why a program that costs more then the entire Apollo program (both adjusted for inflation) is somehow the poster vessel for space flight.

Where are your primary sources?

Does that also mean you don’t understand what they are?

See this does not work the way you think it does.