(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Fewer people in the United States believe sending astronauts into space is of great significance to the country, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 57 per cent of respondents think having a manned space program is very or somewhat important, down 15 points in two years.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Fewer people in the United States believe sending astronauts into space is of great significance to the country, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 57 per cent of respondents think having a manned space program is very or somewhat important, down 15 points in two years.
In January 2004, U.S. president George W. Bush announced a plan to build a space station on the moon by 2015, which would be used as a starting point for missions to remote destinations such as Mars. Early financing for the program would total $12 billion U.S., but the final cost will likely be much higher. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is also expected to build a replacement for the space shuttle, and complete the assembly of the International Space Station.
On Jun. 14, a study published in the scientific journal Nature suggested there might have been an ocean in Mars in the past. University of California Berkeley spokesman Robert Sanders referred to the study, conducted by a group of astrobiologists in the institution, saying, “Many people believe that if there were large oceans there at one time, there’s a good chance that some of it’s still there.” 57 per cent of respondents think life on other planets is very or somewhat likely.
The research is part of UC Berkeley’s BioMars project, which is funded by NASA’s Astrobiology Institute. This institute was founded in 1997 as a partnership between NASA, 16 U.S. teams and six international consortia.
Polling Data
How important is it for the United States to have a manned space program?
Jun. 2007 | Jul. 2005 | |
Very important | 30% | 40% |
Somewhat important | 27% | 32% |
Not very important | 22% | 16% |
Not at all important | 13% | 5% |
How likely is it that life exists on other planets?
Very likely | 30% |
Somewhat likely | 27% |
Not very likely | 22% |
Not at all likely | 13% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted on Jun. 12 and Jun. 13, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
