How Popular is the Mars Exploration Program?

(kemperr) wrote in message . com...
We have certainly seen a lot of media coverage about Opportunity and
Spirit on Mars. But how popular is the program -- how many people are
actually following it? While I have been following it hour by hour,
how many people are doing the same?

To find out, I conducted some informal surveys that you may be
interested in.

First, I asked Google how many sites link to the Mars Rover
Exploration Home page:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov

Using Google as the base on how popular is something is quite flawed,
since that Google is actually quite a censored search engine.

This morning at 10 AM EST I met with some friends to go for a long
run. Interestly, most had already seen images of spirit, less than a
few hours old. Not bad, although most were scientists.

Well... They probably are the most enthusiast of most folks.

How popular do you think these expeditions are? Are they catching the
hearts and minds of everyday people?

Actually, most of the world population probably don't care much on
what happen to both probes.

I do find that the mass media is overhyping the whole thing. For
example, the Discovery channel (or is that the National Geographic?)
in a commercial for a Mars probe special mentioned in a degrading on
how for a moment a troubled world (or is that planet?) forget their
problems and turn their attention to the heavens (Gee, how
religiously, considering that they tend to treat religions like dirt).

Excuse me, but... my world or planet isn't troubled, you must be
talking about another one.

"EAC" wrote in message
m...
(kemperr) wrote in message
. com...
We have certainly seen a lot of media coverage about Opportunity and
Spirit on Mars. But how popular is the program -- how many people are
actually following it? While I have been following it hour by hour,
how many people are doing the same?

To find out, I conducted some informal surveys that you may be
interested in.

First, I asked Google how many sites link to the Mars Rover
Exploration Home page:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov

Using Google as the base on how popular is something is quite flawed,
since that Google is actually quite a censored search engine.

This morning at 10 AM EST I met with some friends to go for a long
run. Interestly, most had already seen images of spirit, less than a
few hours old. Not bad, although most were scientists.

Well... They probably are the most enthusiast of most folks.

How popular do you think these expeditions are? Are they catching the
hearts and minds of everyday people?

Actually, most of the world population probably don't care much on
what happen to both probes.

I do find that the mass media is overhyping the whole thing. For
example, the Discovery channel (or is that the National Geographic?)
in a commercial for a Mars probe special mentioned in a degrading on
how for a moment a troubled world (or is that planet?) forget their
problems and turn their attention to the heavens (Gee, how
religiously, considering that they tend to treat religions like dirt).

Excuse me, but... my world or planet isn't troubled, you must be
talking about another one.

I've been making noises about this for a while. Here in the UK we really
need a two hour Mars spectacular with a couple of science wallahs explaining
the technology and the significance of the images etc. Looked for it in
vain.
It's squandering the effort that's been made, to a certain extent.
Still, for months I looked for TV programmes about the ISS, only to be told
there was "no interest". Well - we should create interest.
Lead people upwards, not just follow them down to game shows.

Eric.