[andygates]

They used to get protests back when Galileo launched, but I don't recall any for Curiosity. There's the soothing effect over time of a known technology not screwing up.

Kilopower is safer, because it would launch inert, and it avoids Pu so any failures would be less toxic.

Downplaying the usefulness of a technology because of imaginary protesters isn't very helpful.

[lholden]

I don't think New Horizons received any protestors either.

[InclinedPlane]

It did: https://www.space.com/1929-nasa-pluto-mission-draws-dozen-pr...

(Not many, but more than zero.)