RUSSIAN DREAM OF SPACE: VCIOM: Russia Public Opinion Research Center

RUSSIAN DREAM OF SPACE

Today’s youth are dreaming of space more than the Gagarin generation.

03.06.2019

IN BRIEF

74% of respondents believe that the profession of cosmonaut will be in demand in Russia; 13% of Russians were dreaming of being a cosmonaut when they were young; 38% would participate in the cosmonaut selection competition or would try providing that their age, health and skills fit the criteria; 56% of parents admit they would allow their children to participate in the competition

Today’s youth are dreaming of space more than the Gagarin generation.

MOSCOW, June 3, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey describing how Russians view the profession of cosmonaut.

Thirteen percent of Russians wanted to become a cosmonaut in the childhood; 21% know that their friends wanted that. The 40-year-old respondents thought of space much more than any other generation (22% of those aged 40-49; every third is male (32%)). However the modern people aged 18-29 dream of being a cosmonaut more than the Gagarin generation (those aged 60 and over): 16% and 7% respectively. Eight percent of parents say their children would like to become a cosmonaut.

Adults also are dreaming of space: more than one-third (38%) would participate in the cosmonaut selection competition if their age, health and skills satisfied the requirements; this share is 58% among young men aged under 30, including 26% of those who are very determined. As to parents, 56% would propose their children to participate in the competition or would consider this opportunity. Young parents aged under the age of 30 often say so (79%).

Most of Russians (74%) believe that in future the profession of cosmonaut will be in demand in Russia; 21% oppose this stance. Those aged 40 and over as well as respondents over 60 (77% for each) are the most optimistic; the thirty-year-olds are the least optimistic (69%).

VCIOM-Sputnik survey was commissioned by Institute of Regional Problems and conducted on May 1, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Were you dreaming of being a cosmonaut in your childhood? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Men	Women	Aged 18 – 29	Aged 30 – 39	Aged 40 – 49	Aged 50 – 59	Aged 60+
Yes	13	20	8	16	14	22	12	7
No, but my friends were dreaming	21	19	23	22	21	22	20	21
No, I and my friends were not dreaming	63	59	67	62	62	55	63	70
Don’t know	3	2	2	0	3	1	5	2

Were you dreaming of being a cosmonaut in your childhood? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Aged 18 – 29		Aged 30 – 39		Aged 40 – 49		Aged 50 – 59		Aged 60+
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Yes	20	11	19	10	32	12	21	6	11	5
No, but my friends were dreaming	19	25	17	24	18	26	19	21	20	22
No, I and my friends were not dreaming	60	64	61	62	48	62	55	69	68	70
Don’t know	1	0	3	4	2	0	5	4	1	3

Do you have child/children? If yes, are they dreaming of being a cosmonaut? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who have children)
	% of those who have children
Yes, they are/were dreaming (in the childhood)	8
No, they are/were not dreaming (in the childhood)	87
Don’t know	5

Imagine there is a Russian cosmonaut selection competition. If your age, health and skills satisfied the requirements, would you participate in the competition? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Men	Women	Aged 18 – 29	Aged 30 – 39	Aged 40 – 49	Aged 50 – 59	Aged 60+
I would, for sure	18	22	15	21	19	20	17	14
Not sure, but probably I would	20	23	17	32	27	21	12	12
I would not participate but I would recommend it to my friends	18	13	23	23	21	17	20	14
I would not participate and I would not recommend it to my friends	42	40	44	23	33	42	51	55
Don’t know	2	2	1	1	0	0	0	5

Imagine there is a Russian cosmonaut selection competition. If your age, health and skills satisfied the requirements, would you participate in the competition? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Aged 18 – 29		Aged 30 – 39		Aged 40 – 49		Aged 50 – 59		Aged 60+
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
I would, for sure	26	16	24	15	22	18	19	15	18	12
Not sure, but probably I would	32	32	29	25	23	18	16	9	16	10
I would not participate but I would recommend it to my friends	18	27	15	26	11	23	12	27	8	17
I would not participate and I would not recommend it to my friends	22	24	32	34	43	41	52	49	49	59
Don’t know	2	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	9	2

If your children had an opportunity to participate in this competition, would you propose them to participate or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who have children)
	Total respondents	Men	Women	Aged 18 – 29	Aged 30 – 39	Aged 40 – 49	Aged 50 – 59	Aged 60+
Definitely yes	25	28	22	35	25	30	24	21
Not confident, but probably	31	31	32	44	41	34	31	22
Definitely not	42	37	45	21	33	36	43	53
Don’t know	2	4	1	0	1	0	2	4

In your opinion, will the profession of cosmonaut be in demand in Russia in future or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Men	Women	Aged 18 – 29	Aged 30 – 39	Aged 40 – 49	Aged 50 – 59	Aged 60+
Definitely yes	31	32	30	24	27	33	36	35
Rather yes	43	38	46	48	42	44	38	42
Rather not	14	16	12	19	17	14	11	9
Definitely not	7	8	6	8	8	4	8	5
Don’t know	5	6	6	1	6	5	7	9

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