Don't get me started. I HATE the space combat. Where is space exploration? How do you think any of the planets in Star Wars are populated? Exploration. How were all of the hyperspace routes found? Exploration. Where are all the resources found to make ships, etc? Exploration.
Everything in Star Wars revolves around exploration. The probes sent out by the Empire during Episode V were exploring, trying to find the Rebel base. The movie would have been a little different if the Empire only had to fire off one probe, because everything is on rails, which would have went right to the rebel base.
I'll stop there, but I can keep going.