News Most American would turn down free trip to space

[dman]

Recent poll from Monmouth University found only 28% would accept free trip
to space, 69% would decline, only 3% are undecided

Read more about poll

http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-dont-want-to-go-to-space-2015-3

 

[Andy44]

No surprises there. Even people who show a large interest in space exploration often feel they aren't cut out for it. Just like lots of us don't think we're up for climbing Mt. Everest, even though we romanticize it.

I would go for a space ride of course, but I after reading Mike Mullane's description of day to day life in freefall in close proximity with other people, it's not exactly a luxury cruise. And he was talking about the relatively roomy and comfortable space shuttle, not a tiny capsule.

 

[boogabooga]

See for example the unpleasantness of last October.

 

[MattBaker]

Especially with a longer stay I'm not sure if the health risks are worth it. I already have trouble with my vision with short-sightedness and floaters, I don't need months in weightlessness messing with my eyesight even more.

 

[jedidia]

Heck, I would even turn down a free trip to Ibiza, I'm such a sit-at-home.
Though a space trip would be a looooot more tempting for me, I'm not sure if I could convince my better half... :shifty:

 

[dman]

Geez - I just turned down 4 "Free" airline tickets from a telemarketer.........

 

[Urwumpe]

There ain't no such thing like a free trip into space.

 

[C3PO]

There ain't no such thing like a free trip into space.

Nope. Most people are actually payed to go into space.

 

[TMac3000]

I would kill to go into space--even for months or years.

The crampedness, and the weightlessness, and the stress of worrying about all the things that could go wrong would be bad...but could you imagine being one of a few human beings to put your boots in the soil of Mars?

To see that pink-brown sky, not with cameras mounted on a robot, but with your own human eyes. To know that you are walking on the surface of an alien world? I mean, imagine how Neil felt when he stepped onto the Moon, and looked back and saw Earth in the sky. That would have to give you a least a small choke-up...

 

[C3PO]

The American general public may be more sensible than we sometimes give them credit for, but I suspect the most common reason is that the discomfort would outweigh the adventure, and not the danger any trip into space involves. Manned space is just not 'in' at the moment.

I would turn down a trip to Ibiza (mostly because of my age), but I'd jump at the chance for a ride into orbit. (not a long duration flight, again my age:lol: )

 

[statickid]

The greatest adventures are by definition uncomfortable

 

[FordPrefect]

Well, I would be all in for a 12-day-trip to the Moon, Apollo style.

A two week ISS trip, sure.

A trip to Mars - No way! I think I could not handle the psychological stress of such a "journey". For that, I love life on Earth way too much.

 

[boogabooga]

There ain't no such thing like a free trip into space.

But there could be in the future as it goes commercial. Mostly as PR stunts and marketing. I could see a lottery among people who all bought something really expensive...:lol:

 

[Artlav]

I'd say i go even if it's on an untested ship i made in my garage.
But having just spent about 30 hours flying to South America (and being too tall to fit into most plane seats)...
I'd still say i go on an untested homemade ship (with the right legspace), but maybe not on a Soyuz.

It's really easy to underestimate how fast it would get to you, being cramped into a tight space.

 

[statickid]

For all the the infinite vastness of space, there sure isn't much leg room

 

[Urwumpe]

But there could be in the future as it goes commercial. Mostly as PR stunts and marketing. I could see a lottery among people who all bought something really expensive...:lol:

Which still keeps TANSTAAFL valid....

 

[Pipcard]

What about this survey? (but it's from the 1990s)

In 1993, the first market research on demand for space tourism was carried out in Japan, supported by the National Aerospace Laboratory ( NAL). That survey of 3030 Japanese people across all age groups revealed a surprisingly strong popular wish to visit space: more than 70% of those under 60 years old, and more than 80% of those under 40 years old stated that they would like to visit space at least once in their lifetime. Furthermore, some 70% of these said that they were prepared to pay up to three months salary for such a trip (1).

Despite the fact that the authors of the Japanese survey urged other countries to do similar research, no US survey was performed in the following two years. Consequently, NAL took steps to have a comparable survey carried out in the USA and Canada during August and September 1995. Although estimates have been published before, this is the first actual market research of its type to be conducted in America. The results illustrate that interest in travelling to space is also very high among North Americans, Overall, 60% of the people surveyed were interested in travelling to space for a vacation.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Personally, I don't agree to much with the fast space flight deal. Companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic make it look easy to the public, but I would rather become an astronaut first than to just go.

 

[BruceJohnJennerLawso]

depends on whether I get what I pay for :lol:

 

[Treetop64]

I'm too tall to fit in space.