I'd much prefer sending robotic exploration craft, though.
I don't see much scientific gain coming out of putting the people in space, while the massively increased costs associated of keeping people alive and well in space just subtract from scientific gains in knowledge and exploration.
Putting people in space is for PR, putting robots in space is for science.
Meeting the needs of humanity might be considered a point for science, differen than "exploration". It seems that the debate is whether we meet the needs of humans right now suffering on this planet, or if we meet the needs of the long-term species under the premise, the assumption that we are simultaneously unwilling or unable to solve the problems here on Earth that we ourselves have caused.
Other folks wonder what the point of science is, if not exploration.