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Space "exploration" can be highly profitable if property rights are defined and respected. For example, there's a limited number of geosynchronous satellite slots. Do you think that Direct Dish or Echostar is not making a profit? Is Echostar not making a profit by building its own satellite? Do the makers of rockets and space hardware make no profit? Do the insurance companies that insure space launches make no profit? NASA is one of the few entities involved in space that makes no profit. How much money did the Russians make selling spots aboard Soyuz to civilians? Do you think they more than cover costs?
As to going to the moon or Mars why not make it that he who can maintain a colony there has claim to property rights on said body? How much do you think the moon or Mars is worth in todays dollars? Granted, the profit may not be realizable today, the value would have to be discounted enough to make it worth the investment. It may be worth your time to read current space treaties that forbid this very thing.
Did Columbus set sail to explore new lands, advance the art of sailing or to spread Christianity? No, the incentive was economic.
So how is orbiting the space shuttle considered space exploration? Especially consider that they load the thing with school teachers, politicians (as payback), high school science projects, ashes of the deceased and so on to curry favor with the masses.