Even while the zeitgeist portrays space as a desirable location in the future, the results of the Pew Research survey to which we previously provided a link indicate that people aren’t generally all that comfortable with the thought of traveling to space. Given that neither of these criteria currently apply to any form of spaceflight, SpaceX’s primary goal is to make commercial spaceflight appealing and affordable. Given the frequency of unsuccessful SpaceX rocket launches making the rounds on social media, we can’t hold the general public responsible for this.

Exactly 57.74 percent, or about 358 out of the 620 survey participants, said they would choose to stay on Earth if given the choice to board a SpaceX journey into the Earth’s orbit. Because the study’s participants were chosen at random, it’s fascinating to contrast its findings with those of a comparable survey conducted by Pew Research a few years earlier but using considerably broader criteria (and possibly a larger sample size, meaning it was likely even more reflective of the general population).

Whatever you may think of Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, he is currently mired in a different problem involving his impending, if precarious, acquisition of Twitter. SpaceX does provide a lot of equipment to NASA’s vital activities, and Musk is obviously working hard to make the company flourish. The success of the corporation in developing a flawless rocket, however, will ultimately determine whether or not the gamble on civilian spaceflight pays off.