You are advocating a strategically devised network of knowledge which would always offer you a support from the nearest base, when you are wandering on a previously unknown land. "Here comes the marines" - you can always count on that.

Well, in science you can't. You must fight the marines as the enemies sometimes, and you are often so far out, that nobody even knows for you. You are on your own and all the heavy equipment is both useless and to expensive to carry.

This is the situation when the stakes are high, when it really matters. When it doesn't, it doesn't anyway.