The U.S. colonizing land in space is an intriguing idea, resurfacing recently after Newt Gingrich’s promise to colonize the moon during the Florida GOP debate at the end of January. But does America think it’s desirable, never mind feasible, in the coming years?
According to a recent YouGov poll, 19% of responders believe that the United States should actively pursue a program with the goal of colonizing the moon or other planets. However, 53% disagree, while the remaining 28% remain unsure about the possibility.
Self-identified Independents are most eager to colonize land in space, at 28%, followed by Republicans (20%), and finally Democrats (15%).
Women show little enthusiasm for settling on the moon or other planets, with only 9% believing that the U.S. should colonize in space. Thirty percent of men, on the other hand, are keen to pursue a space colonization program.
While about one fifth of responders believe that the US should pursue space colonization, the results for when this might feasibly begin reveals less optimism for any short-term ventures.
Generally, a vast majority of responders appear confident that, over the next five centuries, space invention and innovation will result in planet colonization (62%). Nearly half believe that we will begin colonizing the moon or other planets within a century, but only 13% believe that it will happen within the next 25 years. Fifteen percent among both Independents and Republicans are optimistic that it will happen in the next quarter of a century.
Responders with different family incomes have very different views on feasibility. Those earning less than $40K a year are least optimistic about the possibility – 43% think we will never colonize in space at all. Among mid-range income household responders, 52% can see us colonizing space within the next century; 70% are confident that it will happen at some undetermined time. A high 80% of high-income households ($100K+) are confident that it will happen eventually, with 64% believing that we will begin space colonization within the next century.
Regardless of Gingrich’s promise to begin colonization of the space frontier by the end of his second presidential term, responders don’t seem all that optimistic about it happening any time soon.
