Space Opinion Polls
Historical data on public opinion regarding space exploration and NASA funding. These polls reveal interesting patterns about public support for space programs over the decades.
NASA Budget as % of Federal Budget
NASA's budget as a percentage of federal spending peaked during the Apollo program in 1966 at 4.41%. Since then, it has steadily declined to less than 0.5% of federal spending today.
Peak Funding
4.41% in 1966
During Apollo program
Current Funding
0.35% in 2025
Less than 1/10th of peak
Average (1959-2025)
1.01%
Historical average
Should the Government Fund Human Trips to the Moon?
"Study suggests that NASA's public support was less important than most have previously asserted, and that the overall activities of NASA have been advanced by a small base of supporters, challenged by a small group of opponents, and sustained by a larger number of people who accept a status quo in space exploration. Conclusion. A general public lack of support for expending many dollars on spaceflight has been a fundamental reality of NASA since its beginning."Source
| Date | Favor % | Oppose % | Net Approval | Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1961 | 42% | 46% | -4% | Kennedy announces moon goal |
| Feb 1965 | 39% | 53% | -14% | Project Gemini begins |
| Oct 1965 | 45% | 42% | +3% | Only period of net approval |
| Jul 1967 | 34% | 53% | -19% | Apollo 1 fire (Jan 1967) |
| Apr 1970 | 39% | 56% | -17% | Just after Apollo 11 success |
| Jul 1979 | 44% | 51% | -7% | Post-Apollo era |
| Jul 1994 | 47% | 47% | 0% | 25th anniversary of Apollo 11 |
| Jul 1995 | 47% | 52% | -5% | Space station era |