[mynegation]

That is how progress works. Lots of things were researched or invented before progress in other areas (materials, economics, society, other scientific finds...) made these findings useful or even feasible. You never know when and why you will need this, the only thing you know - it will be used eventually. Maybe this will give some important clues into the future interstellar travel, maybe the tricks and technologies invented for this mission will be used elsewhere, maybe sample will give important clues into the origins and probability of life.