Poll of the Week - Space Station

By Jim Gerard, INSPIRE Education Specialist, KSC, FL

Here are the results of the past Poll of the Week:

Should NASA form another international partnership to go to Mars?
yes    90.9%    412 votes
no    9.1%    41 votes
Total 453 votes

An overwhelming majority selected the answer yes to forming an international partnership to send humans to Mars.  To tell the truth, it is the answer I was expecting!  Students today have grown up with the international collaboration of the ISS and seeing NASA work closely with ESA, RSA, JAXA and the CSA*.  It makes sense to continue those partnerships in an endeavor that would place humans on another planet.

The Discussion Board had a few comments about the poll, all positive.  Here are a couple:

Zachary B. said: Definately. We haven't the money or the level of technology to go to Mars quickly, but with the help of another country or several others we can more easily achieve this goal.

Katherine D. said: Absolutely yes, international partnerships bring different perspectives and experiences. The Russians, for example, have a great deal of experience designing space stations, and that experience in building structures designed for long-term habitation would be very useful when designing craft to go to Mars.

While the poll is closed, you can still leave comments and your opinion on the Discussion Board.  Watch the home page for a new poll later today!

*Europe, Russia, Japan, Canada