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>From OTA@S1-A Mon Nov 30 03:09:55 1981

SPACE Digest                                      Volume 2 : Issue 45

Today's Topics:
		  Re: Does anyone out there really care?
			 Re: SPACE Digest V2 #44
		   Does anybody out there really care?
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Date: 29 Nov 1981 13:31:46-PST
From: alice!sjb at Berkeley
To: ucbvax!space@Berkeley
Subject: Re: Does anyone out there really care?

In-reply-to: JNC at MIT-XX

I really care!  You mentioned what's happening to kids
nowadays.  Well, I'm 15 and VERY into the space program.
I think that we should be pumping more money into it,
instead of cutting back almost every aspect of it to
fund the STS program.  Unfortunately, when I talk about
it to some of my friends in school, I find that they
really don't care -- whereas I have pictures on my wall
of the launches and landings of Columbia, I find that
most of them didn't even watch it on the evening news
(let alone live)!  I'd like to say something other than
that, but, unfortunately, I can't.

Adam Buchsbaum

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Date: 29 Nov 81 15:42-PDT
From: mclure at SRI-UNIX
To: Space-Enthusiasts at MIT-MC
Subject: Re: SPACE Digest V2 #44

Hello, I've been getting multiple copies of the SPACE digests now
for quite some time. Can we cure this?

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Date:  29 November 1981 20:38 est
From:  Tavares.Multics at MIT-Multics
Subject:  Does anybody out there really care?
To:  JNC at MIT-MC, Space-Enthusiasts at MIT-MC
In-Reply-To:  Message of 29 November 1981 06:02 est from Ted Anderson

I can supply one modest data line in this area.

Back when we were landing on the moon, membership in the National
Association of Rocketry (a space modeling society) was around 3700--
its highest point.  "Model Rocketry" magazine was selling in hundreds
of hobby shops and, later, newsstands.  Our national meet drew 300+
competitors.

In the intervening years, our membership dropped.  At its lowest point
it was barely 1500.  "Model Rocketry" tubed.  National Meets did well to
draw 100, counting spectators at times.

Since the Shuttle hit in 1Q81, we've been busy taking advantage of the
upswing.  Our membership is now around 2500.  National Meets are drawing
around 150 (things are more expensive these days, of course).  We again
have a spacemodeling magazine back on hobby shop racks and it's selling
well.  And things still have a pleasant first derivative.

All I've done is confirm thet interest in space, especially among the
young (the modal age of spacemodelers in the US is 14), follows
successes in the space program.  Is it something the youngsters keep as
they grow up?  I think so.  Didn't you?

The problem may be that while "space kids" may be old enough to be
Governor of California, they're not old enough to be running the
Federal Government.  Those "space kids" who aren't in government may
be apathetic, but-- hey, it's the '80's-- you can't expect all of them
to be space activists.  At least they have warm fuzzies about space
as opposed to being "if God meant man to fly" types.  Anyway, when
pollsters run those "do you think space deserves the funding" polls, who
DO you think is out there answering "yes"?  Things are NOT dim!

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End of SPACE Digest
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