Ed, you do realize you didn't post a link for this "poll" thing...here's a newer poll...this is all a half empty or half full thing, BTW...

Poll: Despite Accident, Support for NASA Still High
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 08:00 am ET
18 February 2003

A public poll carried out a week after the Columbia disaster finds widespread backing in America for the NASA program. Support for NASA shuttle flight remains firm, the poll indicates, with three in four citizens wanting the space agency's funding level to be maintained or increased.

Support for NASA funding was found to be somewhat higher than what was measured 3 years ago. A slim majority of Americans favor a continued focus on human rather than robotic missions.

The poll also shows that about three in ten Americans would themselves like to take a space shuttle flight sometime in the future, slightly fewer than wanted to be a shuttle passenger 12 years ago. ***

The rest of the story

Anyone reading this board knows that the media has been less supportive of NASA of late and thus the public have been less supportive. NASA's poll ratings have been down, up and down again, your point is?

This in fact isn't proof of a reduced interest in a manned mission to Mars only maybe a government run manned mission to Mars.

We will see how people respond to MER and Beagle II's images. If they are uninterested it would be sad, but not improbably. Popular interest in Mars historically falls and rises and falls and rises again. Usually interest is greatest at it's closest approach, but not always. This doesn't mean they have suddenly realized impactors are a threat. If you think so you are truly clueless! I've asked you where is the proof that the congress folks from Illinois "got" the threat from impactors by living in a State that recently had a rain of iron? Still waiting! No bills no legislation...hum...sure seem unimpressed by natures close calls...

--Chris Vancil