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President Donald Trump has pushed for a return to the moon by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts and an increase in the commercialization of space.

However, his outer space ambitions are contradictory with the goals of many United States citizens, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

The Pew Research Center released a study on Wednesday, June 6, that shows that nearly half of the 2,500 Americans polled between March 27 and April 9 are opposed to NASA astronauts returning to the moon. Meanwhile, 63 percent want the space agency to focus on climate monitoring.
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Since NASA was founded sixty years ago in 1958, the administration “finds itself in a much different world from the one that existed when the Apollo astronauts first set foot on the moon nearly half a century ago,” the survey reads.

The Cold War space race has diminished, and other countries like China, Japan and India have emerged as significant international players in space exploration.

The private sector has also started to become more involved in space ventures, with companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.

Despite the growth in the private sector, 65 percent of Americans believe NASA should still play a vital role in the exploration of space. Only 33 percent say private companies will ensure enough progress in this area without NASA’s involvement.

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“Strong public support that the U.S. should continue to be at the vanguard of space exploration is widely shared across gender, educational and political groups,” the survey reads.

Roughly seven-in-ten Americans say it is essential for the U.S. to continue to be a world leader in space exploration, and eight-in-ten say the International Space Station has been a good investment for the country, according to the survey.

The majority of Americans say monitoring climate or tracking asteroids should be a top NASA priority, and only 13 percent say the same about putting astronauts on the moon.

Missions for human astronauts to explore Mars and return to the moon are among NASA’s most high-profile programs, according to the survey.

The Trump administration has expressed strong support for these initiatives. The administration has said that exploring the solar system should be NASA’s core mission, starting with a return of astronauts to the moon, according to the survey.
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Republicans and Democrats tend to agree about the relative priorities of NASA’s efforts.

For example, about six-in-ten of each party say that monitoring asteroids should be a top priority for NASA, with 61 percent of Republicans and 63 percent of Democrats.

However, the parties show greater divides on other topics.

For example, Republicans tend to put Earth's climate monitoring as a lower priority for the agency.

Fewer Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 44 percent, than Democrats and Democratic leaners, 78 percent, believe that monitoring the Earth’s climate system should be a top priority for NASA, according to the survey.
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Trump’s $19.9 billion NASA budget proposal for the coming fiscal year funnels billions of dollars to human exploration, according to Space.com.

His budget tasks NASA with sending Americans around the moon in 2023. It also sets aside $504.2 million in the coming year to begin working on the foundation of a $2.7 billion Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway.

The Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway is a mini-space station orbiting the moon where astronauts could live and work.

If the budget is approved by Congress, the budget also confirms the cancellation of five Earth-science missions related to climate.

It would also eliminate federal funding for the International Space Station by the end of 2024, transitioning operations to commercial entities.

On Monday, June 18, Trump directed officials to establish a military “Space Force” before signing a new U.S. policy for space traffic control, according to Space.com.

The measure is another step forward in U.S. leadership in space, Trump said.

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