The South and NASA: Public Opinion Differences and Political Consequence

ABSTRACT The decision to locate many of NASA’s major facilities are rooted in the political dynamics of the 1960s seeking to placate powerful Southern members of the U.S. Congress. When looked at nationally, public support for NASA and space exploration tends to be muted; might that opinion vary if respondents are more closely located to NASA’s centers, particularly in the South? Using long-term data from the General Social Survey, regional differences in public support for greater space exploration funding were examined. Despite NASA’s heavy presence in the South, not to mention its economic impact, individuals in the South are considerably less likely to support more space spending. Comparatively, respondents in the Mountain and Pacific regions are comparatively more likely to support space funding. Thus, to the extent that region matters in influencing spending attitudes, being in the South is a negative factor. These findings add to the body of knowledge regarding the political dynamics of space policy that play a role as NASA looks to return to the Moon in the near term.