Monetarily? No benefits, or even negative benefit. Not unless the research leads to the ability to capture one of the thousands of asteroids which contain an upwards of $1 trillion in minerals.
A better question is probably, "What will the consequences be if we limit ourselves to Earth?"
> What will the consequences be if we limit ourselves to Earth?
Very good question, man.
At the rate we're going, both at the rate we're reproducing and the rate we're (mis)using what this planet still has to offer, we better start looking for another location.
A better question is probably, "What will the consequences be if we limit ourselves to Earth?"