Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration (2014)
Chapter: Appendix D: Stakeholder Survey Mail Questionnaire (Version A)
Stakeholder Survey Mail Questionnaire (Version A)
Version A of the stakeholder survey mail questionnaire is reprinted in this appendix.
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Human Spaceflight Study
This survey is being conducted by the National Research Council of the National Academies as part of a request from Congress to review the U.S. human spaceflight program. The purpose of this study is to gather input from stakeholders and members of the scientific community. Your input will help the committee develop recommendations about the long-term goals and direction of NASA’s programs.
Before continuing, please know that your participation is voluntary. You may choose to skip any question or end the survey at any point. We will take all possible steps to protect your privacy and we can use your answers only for statistical research. This means that no individual will be identified in any of the analyses or reports from this study. The survey will take less than 20 minutes to complete.
NORC at the University of Chicago is conducting this study on behalf of the NRC. If you have any questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call the NORC Institutional Review Board, toll free, at 866-309-0542. Any other questions can be sent to the study’s email address: HumanSpaceflightStudy@norc.org.
Human Spaceflight Study
The first question is about space exploration in general and the next question is about human space exploration.
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1. What do you consider to be the main reasons for and against space exploration in general? FOR: ______________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ AGAINST: _________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ |
2. What do you consider to be the main reasons for and against human space exploration? FOR: ______________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ AGAINST: _________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ |
3. Below are some reasons commonly given for space exploration. For each, please indicate whether you think it is a very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important reason for space exploration in general, and for human spaceflight in particular.
| SPACE EXPLORATION IN GENERAL | HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT | |||||||
| Very important | Somewhat important | Not too important | Not important at all | Very important | Somewhat important | Not too important | Not important at all | |
| Expanding knowledge and scientific understanding | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Driving technological advances | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Extending human economic activity beyond Earth | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Paving the way for future settlements in space | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Paving the way for commercial space travel | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Creating opportunities for international cooperation | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Maintaining our national security | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Enhancing U.S. prestige | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, math and engineering | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Satisfying a basic human drive to explore new frontiers | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
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If in question 3 you marked two or more reasons as very important for space exploration in general, please answer question 4. Otherwise go to question 5. 4. Enter a “1” in the box next to the reason you consider to be the most important for space exploration in general, and a “2” in the box next to the reason you consider to be the next most important for space exploration in general. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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If in question 3 you marked two or more reasons as very important for human spaceflight, please answer question 5. Otherwise go to question 6. 5. Enter a “1” in the box next to the reason you consider to be the most important for human spaceflight, and a “2” in the box next to the reason you consider to be the next most important for human spaceflight. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
Expanding knowledge and scientific understanding|
6. In your opinion, if NASA’s human spaceflight program was terminated, what, if anything, would be lost? 7. Do you think that NASA should focus mainly or exclusively on human space flight, mainly or exclusively on robotic space exploration, or a combination of both? 1 ☐ Mainly or exclusively human spaceflight 2 ☐ Mainly or exclusively robotic space exploration 3 ☐ A combination of both human spaceflight and robotic space exploration |
8. Do you think that NASA or the private sector should take the lead on each of the following activities over the next 20 years?
9. Which of the following best describes your views on NASA human space exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit: 1 ☐ NASA should not conduct human space exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit 2 ☐ NASA should conduct human space exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit mainly or exclusively as U.S.-only missions 3 ☐ NASA should conduct human space exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit mainly or exclusively in collaboration with current international partners (such as ISS partners) 4 ☐ NASA should conduct human space exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit mainly or exclusively as part of an international collaboration that includes current partners as well as new and emerging space powers |
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10. Looking beyond the very near term, consider what goals a worthwhile and feasible U.S. human space exploration program might work toward over the next 20 years. How strongly do you favor or oppose the following options for NASA, bearing in mind that these are multi-year projects and the costs given are approximate overall costs.
| Strongly favor | Somewhat favor | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| LEAST EXPENSIVE (Tens of Billions) | ||||
| Continue with Low Earth Orbit flights to the International Space Station until 2020 | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Extend the International Space Station to 2028 | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Send humans to a Near-Earth asteroid in its native orbit | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| MORE EXPENSIVE (Hundreds of Billions) | ||||
| Return to the Moon and explore more of it with short visits | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Establish outposts on the Moon | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Conduct orbital missions to Mars to teleoperate robots on the surface | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Land humans on Mars | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| MOST EXPENSIVE (Trillions) | ||||
| Establish a human presence (base) on Mars | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
11. How important is it for NASA to do each of the following over the next 20 years?
| Very important | Somewhat important | Not too important | Not important at all | |
| Maintain the International Space Station as a laboratory for scientific research | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Make the investments necessary to sustain a vigorous program of human space exploration | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Make the investments necessary to sustain a vigorous program of robotic space exploration | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Limit human space exploration to Earth-orbit missions while maintaining robotic missions for exploring in and beyond the solar system | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Maintain world leadership in human space exploration | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Improve orbital technologies such as weather and communication satellites | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Plan for a manned mission to Mars | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
| Expand space exploration collaborations with other countries | 1☐ | 2☐ | 3☐ | 4☐ |
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Now, we would like to ask a few questions about yourself. 12. Currently, how involved are you in space-related work? 1 ☐ Very involved 2 ☐ Somewhat involved 3 ☐ Not involved 13. How involved are you in work related to human spaceflight? 1 ☐ Very involved 2 ☐ Somewhat involved 3 ☐ Not involved 14. What is the highest degree you completed? 1 ☐ High school or some college 2 ☐ Bachelor’s degree 3 ☐ Master’s degree 4 ☐ Professional degree 5 ☐ Doctorate 15. In what year were you born?
16. Are you male or female? 1 ☐ Male 2 ☐ Female 17. Are you currently employed? 1 ☐ Yes 2 ☐ No |
18. Which of the following best describes your current job? 1 ☐ Postsecondary educator 2 ☐ Scientist in a non-teaching position 3 ☐ Engineer 4 ☐ Managerial or professional 5 ☐ Other, please specify ____________________________ 19. Please use the space below for any further thoughts you might want to share on space exploration. Thank you for your time. |
Go to question 14
