re: Test Equipment
Just to play devils advocate: There is a chance it would have a negative effect. I can imagine a repeat of the time post apollo when people say: we've proved alien life is possible why should we go back? And yes I can think of a googleplex of reasons why we should, and hopefully would, but if someone with that view is in a position to decide just after we find something it might be decades long wait before we venture much beyond LEO again.