Using a longitudinal study (the Longitudinal Study of American Life), we test the degree of stability present in the public's attitudes toward space exploration and examine how those attitudes developed over the course of the longitudinal study. Emphasis is placed on how socialization factors such as parental interest in space exploration as well as parent–child space discussions influence attitudes in adulthood, although other potential determinants of attitudes are also considered. Focusing on measures of interest in space exploration and support for a crewed mission to Mars, our analysis of the survey data suggests only weak stability in support for a Mars expedition but moderate stability in general interest towards space exploration attitudes over a 15- to 20-year period. Furthermore, while there is evidence that early childhood predispositions about the merits of space exploration can help to predict policy support 20 years later, factors other than socialization are found to be the more dominant predictors of space policy attitudes. We find that an individual's interest in space exploration is the most significant determinant of their support for a human mission to Mars; interest, in turn, correlates with such factors as one's gender, scientific knowledge, and religious beliefs, among other factors.

使用纵向研究（美国生活纵向研究），我们测试了公众对太空探索态度的稳定性程度，并检查这些态度在纵向研究过程中是如何发展的。重点放在父母对太空探索的兴趣以及亲子太空讨论等社会化因素如何影响成年后的态度，尽管也考虑了态度的其他潜在决定因素。专注于对太空探索感兴趣的度量和对载人火星任务的支持，我们对调查数据的分析表明，支持火星探险的稳定性很弱，但对太空探索态度的总体兴趣在 15 到 20 年之间具有中等稳定性。年期间。此外，虽然有证据表明，关于太空探索优点的幼儿期倾向有助于预测 20 年后的政策支持，但发现社会化以外的因素是太空政策态度的主要预测因素。我们发现，个人对太空探索的兴趣是他们是否支持人类火星任务的最重要决定因素；兴趣反过来又与性别、科学知识和宗教信仰等因素相关。对太空探索的兴趣是他们支持载人火星任务的最重要决定因素；兴趣反过来又与性别、科学知识和宗教信仰等因素相关。对太空探索的兴趣是他们支持载人火星任务的最重要决定因素；兴趣反过来又与性别、科学知识和宗教信仰等因素相关。