It seems like there might be an exciting "Moore's Law" like rubicon that will be crossed in space exploration. Eventually spacecraft launched later, for cheaper, start arriving before their predecessors.
Dozens of science fiction stories have been written about that, though most involve interstellar travel.
Could you list a few? (genuinely interested)
Plays a big role in the final battles of Ender's Game. It's not quite to the point where the newer ships arrive before the older ones, but the attack is planned so the ships arrive at similar times IIRC.