MOSCOW, 11 April 2023. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey among Russians devoted to Cosmonautics Day.

Let’s go!

Every third Russian is confident that space events (explosions on the Sun, falls of meteorites, formation of black holes) influence their life to a certain extent — 35% (2008 — 35%), including 15% who point out “a big influence”, and 20%, “a small influence”. Every second respondent does not experience any influence (55%, 2008 — 52%).  For more than fifteen years Russians have not changed their views regarding this topic.

Women are more sensitive than men: they are more likely to stress the influence of the space environment on their life (43% vs. 26%). As to various age groups, favorable responses are often given by young Russians aged 18-24 (40%) and the old generation (42%).

Feeling unwell is often the most common effect space processes have on human body (69%) (health – 33%; blood pressure, headache, vertigo – 15%, each; meteosensitivity – 5%; joint pain). Twenty-seven percent of respondents point out nature-related impacts: weather, climate — 12%, magnetic storms — 8%, environment — 4%, cataclysms, earthquakes, harvest). Another 7% of respondents point out changes in emotional state (mood, anxiety, aggression).

Exploration of new planets

Today a vast majority of Russians believe that in the future people will not only live on the Earth but also on other planets (66%), including a third of respondents (29%) who say that it’s possible; 37% consider it possible but hardly likely. A further 28% are confident that it’s almost impossible.

Since 2008 more Russians have been optimistic about similar space breakthroughs (back then 51% believed in exploring new planets; 35% opposed them).

Close encounters of the third kind

Seventy-five percent of Russians (+14 p.p. compared to 2008) believe that there are intelligent life forms on other planets (36% think it’s possible; 39%, it’s possible but hardly likely).  This percentage is 86% among young respondents aged 18-24. Every fifth Russian does not believe in life on other planets (20%; -7 p.p. compared to 2008). About fifteen years ago Russians were more skeptical.

VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted 5 April, 2024. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18+ were surveyed. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Key effectiveness indicators, survey of 5 April , 2023:  cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.8220; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0143; response rate (RR)*** = 0.0962.  calculations are based on corporate standards: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/

* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.

** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not.

 ** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.

* Before 2017, surveys were conducted through household face-to-face interviews (Express project); stratified multi-stage sample, with quotas based on socio-demographic parameters; representative of the Russian population aged 18+, according to type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.