Space Exploration Is The Last Thing They Want

In a world of ipods, MTV, and terrorism, it may not come as too much of a surprise to discover that "young Americans as a group are generally disengaged from, and cynical about ... the US space program."

That  gloomy assessment was revealed in a study reported on last week at the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics Space 2006 meeting. The study was commissioned to gauge public reaction for "The Vision for Space Exploration" program announced by President Bush in January of 2004.

Dittmar Associates, the research firm, was commissioned to find attitudes of Americans regarding space exploration. Predictably, results varied widely depending on sex, ethnic group, and especially age. Young adults 18 to 25, were particularly not interested in space, ranking it almost last in priority among concerns of jobs, the war, and relationships. Less than one quarter surveyed had any interest in seeing humans return to the moon.

Overall endorsement of the space program in general was very strong, with 69% of all Americans voicing their support.

Interest and excitement about the Vision for Space Exploration program was strong for near-term aspects of the plan (65% of Americans responded positively) and for returning to the Moon.

This was not true for plans to send humans to Mars, which is seen as involving much more risk (only 18% of Americans responded positively).

However, among young adults, the level of  interest in space travel is pretty dismal. The one exception is the category of  “New Space”, ie. private spaceflight efforts such as the X-Prize sub-orbital flights of SpaceShip One, which is increasing relative to earlier surveys.

We have no proof, but it is believed that if only readers of Aero-News were surveyed, the results of space exploration interest would be close to 100%  across the board.

FMI: www.dittmar-associates.com, www.aiaa.org