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A new Morning Consult poll finds that the public wants the government to focus its space research agenda on monitoring Earth’s climate, not on human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Overall, it was ranked 25th in space exploration and research on a list of 26 priorities for the Biden Administration. However, he also wants the United States to maintain its competitive advantage in space over countries like Russia and China.
Monitoring the Earth’s climate system was the top priority for 35 percent of respondents, while it was “important, but lower priority” for 28 percent, “not too high a priority” for 18 percent. “shouldn’t be done” for 7 percent and “don’t know / have no opinion” for 11 percent.
Second, it was monitoring asteroids that could threaten Earth, and third, it was developing technologies that could be used widely, not just for space.
At the bottom of the list of 10 possible priorities was sending civilians to the Moon or Mars. That was a top priority for only 6 percent, important for 18 percent, not too important for 39 percent, it shouldn’t be done for 24 percent, and 12 percent didn’t know or didn’t have an opinion.
A ranking just above that was sending “astronauts” to the Moon or Mars, which apparently refers to professional astronauts compared to the general public. NASA embarked on the Artemis program with commercial and international partners to return people to the Moon and travel to Mars, although according to this survey only 33 percent rate the Moon goal as a top or top priority and 24 percent percent for Mars.
It’s also interesting, especially as entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is testing the waters of public interest in flying into space by choosing a person by lottery to join him on Inspiration4, of those surveyed, 58 percent said they were unlikely to travel to space. space themselves even if the price was no object.
The poll also found that while a majority support the Biden Administration’s decision to keep the US Space Force, a sixth branch of the military created during the Trump Administration, many said they either did not know or did not have an opinion. suggesting that “they might not measure up.” speed in government space efforts. “
Still, they want the United States to stay ahead of the threats posed by other countries in space. When asked about specific countries that the Defense Intelligence Agency identifies as threats, respondents looked at China (52 percent), Russia (45 percent), North Korea (34 percent), and Iran (30 percent). ) as threats to the security of the United States in space.
The survey of 2,200 American adults was conducted February 12-15, 2021, and has a 2 percent margin of error.
