THE RACE TO SETTLE MARS
IS THE PUBLIC READY?
Peter Perrine*
The following Mars question post card was mailed to 190 randomly selected individuals throughout the USA. The Mars question card was also given to 13 parents watching swim and skating classes, 12 people at late night self service laundromats, 50 senatorsÕ offices and 7 lifeguard swim teachers. The card asked the following question: ÒThe planet Mars has resources to sustain human life making it the best place to build a second human civilization. We can establish a permanent human presence on Mars within 10 years for 15% of NASAÕs current budget. Given this is true should we do it?Ó
A majority of those responding favored putting a permanent human presence on Mars. These are tentative results from a low-response-rate national mailed poll and high-response-rate local polls. The polls do not provide the highest statistical confidence, see my discussion of methodology. The most valuable information is in the reasons why given.