Putting the cart before the horse
We've had this discussion before. You make many good points but keep in mind discovery is a precursor to innovation. It wasn't until the New World was discovered that European powers developed bigger faster ships, Carracks and later Galleons, capable of more safely crossing the Atlantic. I agree we could never mine asteroids with our current tech, but in a century we might be able to. Knowing what's out there helps create the motivation to get there.