[Zigurd]

What we will find when we explore Mars is that we are Earth creatures. There are good reasons to doubt humans will ever travel to outer planets, nevermind to neighboring stars. Post-humans, maybe. Not us.

Having a decent life for all humans and minimizing the damage we do to the only habitat that supports human life is a vastly more important goal than crossing a void to reach an inhospitable rock.

We will gain knowledge and technologies in pursuit of space exploration. There are benefits. But humanity has higher goals.