If one's standard for science is that all discovery must influence you immediately, then there are a lot of fields that must come grinding to a halt.
I rather like the acquisition of knowledge, myself.
Problem is, we don't even know if we
can live there. If I'm going, I'm packing more than just clothes in my bags. I'm also packing a few jet-packs, maybe a scuba-suit, and, if possible, some kind of digging utensil. Plus, maybe a flashlight.
Sounds a little like a scenario by some philosopher: you have to colonize a planet. You can only take household things. You have
X space, and a
Y number of weight you can carry. What do you take?