Public Opinion Pivots Toward Mars
For First Time, Majority in U.S. Backs Human Mission to Mars, Gallup
“Americans’ views about landing an astronaut on Mars have shifted, with a majority now favoring the idea for the first time since 1969 and 1999, when majorities opposed the idea. The latest figure comes as President Donald Trump has committed to a manned Mars mission. In his Fourth of July speech, the president said, “We’re going to be back on the moon … and, someday soon, we will plant the American flag on Mars.” Gallup first asked Americans about attempting to land astronauts on Mars in 1969, shortly after the U.S. accomplished the same feat on the moon. At that time, just 39% were in favor and 53% opposed. A subsequent update on the 30th anniversary of the moon landing found public opinion had changed little, with 43% in favor and 54% opposed to going to Mars.”
People *may* know what they want – but in this case; they don’t know what they’re asking for – they literally don’t know enough about the subject matter. Most people don’t understand how hard Mars will be to reach. At this point in time; the U.S. still hasn’t returned their Astronauts to space from their own soil in their own spacecraft. And even no ‘mere’ Lunar Lander has been explicitly funded yet, either. So what makes the uninformed think they *really* want Mars or know what it takes?!
Once people get a briefing on the costs, schedule and technical difficulties – as done the traditional way by traditional ‘Old Space’ – they’ll probably drop the idea. Science Fiction movies have made Mars look too easy. Even Elon Musk’s plans have huge hurdles to overcome. Maybe NASA could partner with him? Heh – I doubt it.
The “general public” MUST be made to understand that we need the technical data on the effects of REDUCED gravity on human physiology, as well as developing the techniques for going to Mars, or we will end up with an incapacitated or dead crew on the trip to and from Mars! Unfortunately, the science is getting buried by the politics!
No! Even when the “true” financial cost, schedule, etc., are laid out, we should NOT drop the idea of going to Mars. But we must make folks understand of the necessity of going back to the Moon FIRST! And, BTW, Mars is NOT the “ultimate goal” of humanity!
It is another stepping stone to the rest of the solar system and ultimately the universe! It will take awhile…most likely beyond the lifetimes of us, or our children or their grandchildren! But it must be done right!
Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!
Here we go again, more pro Mars anti moon stuff (for me it’s the other way around). Adds more to the Mars myth, https://homerhickamblog.blo…
But this poll never asked how much are they willing to spend as that makes a huge difference in opinions.
Hickam’s got a point there. For all the talk of Mars, NASA wasn’t exactly doing much to prepare to send people there. I’ve never found it a mystery as to why – the answer is that NASA’s primary mission for human spaceflight since the early 1990s was the space station (and the Shuttle, ostensibly so it could help build the space station). Anything else was going to come later, if it came at all.