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 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!