Space exploration per se, which is to say as a scientific endeavor, was never the point of the space program. Fortunately for what money it has indeed been able to get it has had some spectacular successes, ones that have captured the imaginations of many people throughout the world, but the fact remains that space investments have been meant more as a political statement than as a righteous attempt at understanding our universe.
With the Chinese and Japanese talking about gearing up for some serious space adventures this may be a cattle prod to re-invest in manned-space exploration, the macho-testosterone laden right-stuff kind of thing, and the detritus of this will result in money for true exploration with the sort of equipment that will allow for honest-to-God exploration. But otherwise it's not likely we'll see what we'd hope to see from our government with regards to space investments.
As in most things, showiness and danger trumps caution and the mundane machinations for what is required for true scientific research. Who knows, with the recent successes (though notable failures, e.g. the recent space sail) in the civilian space community maybe this will bleed something into the area of scientific research.
Commenting by HaloScan
