You are applying earth analogs to interstellar scales.

But Earth is part of the interstellar universe. We literally don't exist in a vacuum and it only makes sense our definition of scale will evolve when Man continues to explore the universe. Just like how Europeans use to sail around Africa, Asia or the Americas before having the right tech to venture inwards.

And all this is fantastical thinking. No government could possibly spend tens of trillions on such out-there projects. A government that did spend such copius amounts on space exploration would be overtaken and defeated by a government that spends those trillions on industry, infrastructure, education, and the military.

The Cold War pitted two superpowers against each other in the race for Space, but only one of them fell. You can guess who (the USSR).

The US and China are a rough approximation. The US had the most prosperous and advanced economy in the history of the earth from 1950-1990. Yet, they squandered that unimaginable wealth on wars for Israel, bringing democracy and gay rights to Afghanistan, and dumping trillions on blacks, single moms, and other loafers. It pursued a fantasy that brought no return even on the time frame of 50 years. China invested its energy into infrastructure, education, industry and it is on the brink of surpassing the US.

You're making my argument for me. The U.S could have been even more powerful had it spent more money on Space research instead of donating it to Israel, black welfare and countless Middle Eastern wars.

And part of China investing in education/infrastructure/industry is obviously just a side step away for going into Space. Follow the news, and they've been sending rovers to the Moon for example, and they have plans to land a man on Mars by 2033.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/24/china-plans-for-first-manned-mission-to-mars-in-2033

All these are what White nations should be doing.