For those interested....

In 1969, 1999 and 2005 Gallup did a phone poll with the same questions each time with ~1000 people randomly chosen and came up with ~55% against manned Mars missions to ~35% for said missions.

Dittmar Associated also did a phone poll in 2004 and came up with higher against and much lower for. Something like 18% for, but prefaced their questions with things like...so if you knew a manned Mars mission would cost a trillion dollars...

Three polls by three different organizations came up with positive numbers for manned Mars missions.

One with 49%, 61% and 55%. All these polls have legitimate criticisms. The 61% Badger Poll was done with only ~500 people in a single state (twice same results).

Still these polls are just as valid as the Gallup or Dittmar polls.

What can we make of this?

BTW, I will be at the Mars Society Convention and possibly out of contact with the internet from Wednesday till Monday (Sun, dry and in the 80 in Seattle...rain and thunderstorms all the time in Boulder!)

http://www.habitablezone.com/space/messages/390037.html
http://www.habitablezone.com/space/messages/389481.html