So long, Ariane
Tuesday, November 03, 2009(Blogging is likely to be light today, so there may well be no Hansard trawls, either ancient or modern, today)
Those helpful people at Eurobarometer have polled eurocitizenry on 'Space activities of the European Union', and the findings are quite telling.
Asked about the 'Importance of space activities for the future international position of the EU', over a third judge them not important, have no idea or fess up to not knowing. However, the really amusing bit is that the French, they who so love bragging about Ariane, are the most cynical overall, with a majority falling into the nay saying / not knowing category. Cypriots enthuse wildly, however, with 82% opting for very / important. Maybe they have episodes of Space 1999 aired nightly in Nicosia.
Asked whether 'Space activities contribute to industrial competiveness, growth and creation of jobs in the
European Union', the French are among the least impressed - 42% don't think so or don't know. Having passd through Toulouse recently, a city awash with EADS etc propaganda and so forth, that makes a smirk hard to resist. The Dutch and the Cypriots - not known for their Baikonurs / Kourous / Cape Canaverals are the most convinced.
European Union', the French are among the least impressed - 42% don't think so or don't know. Having passd through Toulouse recently, a city awash with EADS etc propaganda and so forth, that makes a smirk hard to resist. The Dutch and the Cypriots - not known for their Baikonurs / Kourous / Cape Canaverals are the most convinced.
Elsewhere, a rather impressive 17% of my fellow Britons claim to have heard of European Earth Observation satellites. The French near top the poll for being unimpressed with the Galileo satellite project. I have crossed swords with the EU over its outrageous push polling over Galileo before, I can claim some familiarity.
The Bulgars would appear to have taken Star Trek to heart, in that 93% think space exploration important, with France and Italy both mustering 72% in agreement. We're in the lower quartlile at 77%. And it is another yaa boo to the European Space programme in France, with the lowest level of agreement with 'Space exploration is important as a source of innovation and economic development'. Nigh on a third of Gauls - by far the highest percentage - want the EU space budget cut, by the way.
Looked at demographically, chaps prove the space cadets, with a fifth wanting a cut compared to a quarter of women. Enthusiasm for spending decreases with age too.
And here's a rather attractive photo of an Ariane 5:
And here's a rather attractive photo of an Ariane 5:
Labels: EU fun and games, Eurobarometer, Space
