A survey finds, yet again, that space is a low priority for the public

John Kelly points to a survey that finds most people put space near the bottom in a list of spending priorities for the government : Taxpayers sour on space during the budget crisis  – Florida Today.

Saying that taxpayers have soured on space implies that they were once sweet on space. Polls going back to the early 1960s, however,  have always given the same basic results – the public likes space in a general interest way but they don’t see it as a big priority for spending their tax dollars. It’s this mile wide – inch deep attitude of the public that has always bedeviled space advocates who try to push for more spending on NASA. Politicians just don’t see any votes being gained for supporting increased spending on space.

Until the public sees (1) the cost of space activities drop dramatically and (2) lots of people like themselves going to space and involved with space activities, this attitude isn’t going to change.