One of the larger asteroids in the Mars-Jupiter belt is a one trillion ton hunk of titanium, platinum and copper. Europa is a giant vat of product waiting for someone to pump it dry and refine it. But for now there is not an urgent need to spend that kind of money on the various tracts of research needed to take us there. Mars and lunar factories will probably turn out the necessary R&D and materials needed to make that next step. By that time we will be launching near light speed vehicles towards nearby star systems.