The Nation - News from March 23, 1986

A big majority of Americans favor continuing the space shuttle program although many are not sure that NASA can avoid further fatal accidents, Gallup Poll results showed. Of those responding to the survey, conducted since the loss of the shuttle Challenger and its crew of seven, 80% said the United States should continue the flights and 38% expressed a “great deal” of confidence in NASA, but 19% said they had little or no faith in the space agency. In the same poll, 69% said civilians should participate in future space missions.