> Lots of hostility to space exploration I see.
Hostility towards "exploration" yes, science no.
> But I suppose I'm nearly alone in this opinion.
Really? There have already been several people on the list who say they are for programs like the Mars rovers, but against the manned space program. I'm also against the manned space program, but I find the Mars robot missions to be really cool (the cooler mission was that comet flyby). A program that costs several hundreds of millions of dollars is much different than the manned program and it's ongoing program of pork for the Pentagon and defense contractors.
The manned space program is just bad science and an expensive boondoggle. Many scientists oppose the ISS space station because it is based on bad science. The shuttle program is basically bad science combined with a risky, over-sized pickup truck that is looking for stuff to do. And space is just a hostile place for humans and will stay that way until we can invent new technologies to get us around faster and shield us from radiation.
I was a big space program geek as a teen and I'm still a big science fiction fan. But once you understand the politics and science behind the manned space program, it is easy to oppose it while supporting the more important stuff.
Chuck0