Support For Shuttle, Space Exploration Steady Despite Accident, Poll

Two-thirds of Americans say the space shuttle should
continue to fly despite two disastrous accidents, but enthusiasm for
putting civilians aboard is declining, an Associated Press poll finds.

I have to say, the day Columbia was lost I was pretty damn terrified about the
program being gutted, but I guess I don't give people enough credit in some
regards...

However, I think the public is still pretty damn misinformed about what a
"civilian" is in the space program...pilots aside, I guess they don't consider
the dozens of mission specialist astronauts who never served in the military
"civilians", or the Payload Specialists who worked for NASA contractors.

To name one minor area where I think the public is pretty damn misinformed
among many...

-A.L.