Aurora - a critique by Stephen Baxter and others

[Rynn]

I would expect breeding populations of most species to travel as data. I mean, straight up: Here are fifty thousand genome sequences for humans, along with gestational parameters so you can get the uterine replicator set right.

If you can do this and also be able to prepare the abiotic environment, introduce species in significant numbers and the right order, raise the organisms that require parental care and ensure proper socialisation of creatures that need it...then sure! But each one of those is a huge task, miles more difficult than building an interstellar rocket. That's why in the early setting it's likely that only vec missions are going to succeed. The first biont missions, well they might not be sophisticated enough to tick everyone of these boxes so instead they bring a small ecosystem along to transplant.