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Appendix D Summary of the Planetary Society~s Public Opinion Survey Bmee Betts and Emily LakdawaDa The Planetary Society Pasadena' California In conjunction with Me Solar System Exploration Survey' We Planets Society carried out ~ independent public opinion survey. Since this survey was not done in ~ controlled md rigorous fashion' significant bias may be latent in the result. However, these biases have been evaluated. The survey results are expend to have value as ~ guide to what inbreed people Wink about md expect from the Solar System Exploration program. The survey focused on those in the general public who have ~ particular interest in planetary exploration. Billed ~ <<your opportunity to tell NASA how you would like to be informed about its missions md about future priorities in plmet~ exploration'', the survey asked He following questions: Whey in your opinion, should be He ultimate purpose of U.S. space exploration: ~ Choose (from ~ list of IS) ~ of the following missions thy you Wink are mod impor~t for space agencies to accomplish in He next decade. Several over questions were also asked thy are not particularly pertinent to the present study. The result (paraphrased) found by the Plmet~ Soeiely are as follows: I. Whey in your opinion' should be the ultimate purpose of the U.S. planets exploration program: (The top three choices only are given here.) a. Scientific exploration Braked first by 23 percent first rank overall); b. Determining suitability for humm colonization Braked first by 25 percent second rank overall); md e. Looking for dangers to Earth from space Braked first by 25 percent' third rank overall). 2. Choose five of He following missions ~~ you think are most impor~t for space agencies to accomplish in the next decade. (The top five choices are given here.) a. Mars (9 ~ percent b. Moon (~S percent) e. Europa (~? percent d. Pluto/Kuiper Belt (37 percent) e. Io (34 percent)
~4 APPENDIX ~ Complex results of this survey, which attracted 54~S responses' can be obtained from the Plar~ary SocieW by visiting its Web sin ~ cht~p:~/www.plar~ary.org~htmlisurveyisurvey_resul~.htm~ or by e-mailing bruce.~ds~plar~ry.org win questions or to request further Wails.