I would gladly agree to the cost, if there was any value.
The high tech it isn't.
Jeffrey F. Bell explores it up nicely in this editorial:
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-04y.html
As far as pushing our imagination of what can be done.. well, it's been done. The next mind shattering leap will not come from walking around on Mars. At least not in my imagination.