While the search for life elsewhere has been promoted as a general theme, SETI and life on Mars do nto make it, iMO.

Space exploration is in a pardigm shift, from a space program dominated by fanatsies of an Earth-like and developable Mars,
over to one focusing on immediate tasks, such as communications, weather, Earth-resources, earthquake prediciton,
space manufacturing, and most importantly, dealing with the impact hazard.

Where the detection of extra-solar planets and SETI fits in to this is still open. Right now htey appear as interesting luxuries, except for those immediately involved with them or fascinated by them.