Why is there minimal investment in defending earth and exploring our universe ?

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/world/earth-new-asteroid/index.html?iref=allsearch

Recently I read this interesting article on an asteroid with a small revolving moon has zipped past earth. It was very close about 15 times the distance of the moon.  Human race first landed on the moon during late sixties and ever since we have not made any significant progress in exploring our universe and galaxy. We have been busy trying to control natural resources of earth while not considering the abundant resources available in the galaxy and beyond.

Two things come to my mind. First, we have no defensive mechanisms in place to protect our planet if in case a large asteroid were to be on a collision course. It is high time that developed nations come together to fund a global program aimed at building defenses to protect human race.

Secondly, I feel we have missed an opportunity by not landing on the asteroid to learn more about the galaxy. We should invest in such a program to get better deep insights into other galaxies and planets. We should also invest in further developing inter space communications so that we can plant a device on the traveling asteroid to learn more about our universe and galaxy. Even though we may not have vehicles to travel the universe we can leverage a traveling asteroid in the interim.

Can we reach various communities in the developed countries and educate the masses on the risk of not have a defensive mechanism to protect earth. This will lead to put pressure on politicians to pursue this as one of their agenda items.