Al this talk of aiming for asteroids and Mars is academic right now. The two powers most likely to spearhead any assault on a airless desert have bigger targets of their own. Putin and world domination, Trump and all that he thinks is worthy of calling the world and its domination.

Basically if there ain't no monetary payback from anything in their lifetime (30 years at best (worst)) then they can't see it.

If space pays, it gets the nod. Blue skies projects won't. For at least the next 4 years. And that will put any endeavour back more than 4 years.