Americans lean toward keeping human spaceflight with NASA, not private companies

Sep 7–13, 2023 · n = 2,000 · MoE ±2.3%Source report ↗

Core finding

In a Verasight survey conducted Sept. 7-13, 2023, more Americans say human spaceflight should stay with government agencies like NASA than move to private companies like SpaceX: 33% disagree that it is best left to private firms, including 13% who strongly disagree, compared with 26% who agree, including 9% who strongly agree.

Neither camp comes close to a majority, and the largest bloc, 42%, stays neutral.

Topline scale

Americans lean toward keeping human spaceflight with NASA, not private companies.

To what extent do you agree with the following statement? Human spaceflight generally is best left for private companies like SpaceX rather than government agencies like NASA.

Neutral
41.6%
Disagree
19.5%
Agree
17.0%
Strongly disagree
13.1%
Strongly agree
8.8%

n = 2,000 · Sep 7–13, 2023 · MoE ±2.3%

Net findings combine adjacent response options from the same scale.
ModeVerasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
PopulationUnited States adults
Field datesSep 7–13, 2023
Base (unweighted)2,000
Margin of error±2.3%
Module2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071
SponsorVerasight
Weight variableweight
Weighting targetsage, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

  1. 01

    To what extent do you agree with the following statement? Human spaceflight generally is best left for private companies like SpaceX rather than government agencies like NASA.

    verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co

Cite this question

2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071, fielded September 7-13, 2023, N=2,000 United States adults, +/- 2.3%.