I recall a story about the Apollo-Soyuz docking that took place a generation ago back when the USSR
WAS the USSR. It was basically a detente publicity stunt. The two contry's space capsules would dock and there would be pleasantries exchanged and so forth
going on and everyone would be happy.
The maneuver, however, required an adapter to be made because the two spacecraft's linkages were not compatable. So a sort of tunnel device was designed that would attach, one side to the Soyuz, the other to the Apollo. It was slated to be built by the Russkies.
Some of our engineers went over there and took a gander at their manufacturing facilities.
We built it here .... and it worked, too.
The Soviet stuff was bare minimum engineering. At best. If nothing broke, it managed to actually work.
OTOH I've read enough about our Apollo Program to be amazed we didn't have more problems than we did. Apollo 1, with a pure oxygen atmosphere, a capsule hatch that was difficult to operate normally, and electrical wiring that.... well, ask Grissom, White and Chaffee. Oh wait.... never mind, you can't.
We did know better. And we were capable of better. But we were in a space race, and corners were cut.