Space Quotes
@astro-quotes.bsky.social
Star-gazing, rocket-riding, moon-walking quotations.
🔭 🚀 🌘 🪐💫
Lovingly compiled by Dave English. On the web since 1997: www.EyesTurnedSkyward.com
🔭 🚀 🌘 🪐💫
Lovingly compiled by Dave English. On the web since 1997: www.EyesTurnedSkyward.com
RIP John Noble Wilford. The New York Times reporter gave us some of the most magical words about the Space program:
“The moon, long the symbol of the impossible and the inaccessible, was now within man’s reach, the first port of call in this new age of spacefaring.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
“The moon, long the symbol of the impossible and the inaccessible, was now within man’s reach, the first port of call in this new age of spacefaring.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
December 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
RIP John Noble Wilford. The New York Times reporter gave us some of the most magical words about the Space program:
“The moon, long the symbol of the impossible and the inaccessible, was now within man’s reach, the first port of call in this new age of spacefaring.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
“The moon, long the symbol of the impossible and the inaccessible, was now within man’s reach, the first port of call in this new age of spacefaring.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
“From the space station's distance mankind is a creature that comes only at night. Mankind is the light of cities and the illuminated filament of roads. By day, it's gone. It hides in plain sight.”
Samantha Harvey, in the beautiful 2023 book Orbital.
Samantha Harvey, in the beautiful 2023 book Orbital.
May 20, 2025 at 12:14 PM
“From the space station's distance mankind is a creature that comes only at night. Mankind is the light of cities and the illuminated filament of roads. By day, it's gone. It hides in plain sight.”
Samantha Harvey, in the beautiful 2023 book Orbital.
Samantha Harvey, in the beautiful 2023 book Orbital.
“If you’re going to go to the Moon, sooner or later you’ve got to go to the Moon.”
Flight Director Glynn Linney, summing up the rationale for the Apollo 8 ‘go’ decision, NASA meetings, 1968. Quoted in the 2019 book Shoot for the Moon.
Flight Director Glynn Linney, summing up the rationale for the Apollo 8 ‘go’ decision, NASA meetings, 1968. Quoted in the 2019 book Shoot for the Moon.
November 4, 2024 at 12:52 AM
“If you’re going to go to the Moon, sooner or later you’ve got to go to the Moon.”
Flight Director Glynn Linney, summing up the rationale for the Apollo 8 ‘go’ decision, NASA meetings, 1968. Quoted in the 2019 book Shoot for the Moon.
Flight Director Glynn Linney, summing up the rationale for the Apollo 8 ‘go’ decision, NASA meetings, 1968. Quoted in the 2019 book Shoot for the Moon.
I recently unearthed these da Vinci drawings in the archives of the Universitas Ingeniorum Artis Artificialis in Florance, Italy.
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
October 30, 2024 at 2:42 PM
I recently unearthed these da Vinci drawings in the archives of the Universitas Ingeniorum Artis Artificialis in Florance, Italy.
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
“When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.”
~ John Muir, Spring 1879.
~ John Muir, Spring 1879.
September 23, 2020 at 11:20 AM
“When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.”
~ John Muir, Spring 1879.
~ John Muir, Spring 1879.
”The moon is the proving ground; Mars is the horizon goal.”
Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, quoted on the cover of National Geographic magazine, July 2019.
Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, quoted on the cover of National Geographic magazine, July 2019.
January 20, 2020 at 4:54 PM
”The moon is the proving ground; Mars is the horizon goal.”
Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, quoted on the cover of National Geographic magazine, July 2019.
Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, quoted on the cover of National Geographic magazine, July 2019.
“Over five billion people, everything I ever knew, was behind my thumb.”
~ Jim Lovell
Fantastic to hear and see all three Apollo 8 astronauts, alive and well fifty years after their amazing mission.
~ Jim Lovell
Fantastic to hear and see all three Apollo 8 astronauts, alive and well fifty years after their amazing mission.
December 23, 2018 at 7:43 PM
“Over five billion people, everything I ever knew, was behind my thumb.”
~ Jim Lovell
Fantastic to hear and see all three Apollo 8 astronauts, alive and well fifty years after their amazing mission.
~ Jim Lovell
Fantastic to hear and see all three Apollo 8 astronauts, alive and well fifty years after their amazing mission.
August 7, 2018 at 2:32 PM
“Twentieth century man must boldly reach out ... And purposefully strive to discover the hidden secrets of our universe.”
The only human to command four different spacecraft passed away today. RIP John Young.
The only human to command four different spacecraft passed away today. RIP John Young.
January 6, 2018 at 6:18 PM
“Twentieth century man must boldly reach out ... And purposefully strive to discover the hidden secrets of our universe.”
The only human to command four different spacecraft passed away today. RIP John Young.
The only human to command four different spacecraft passed away today. RIP John Young.
“Don't tell me that man doesn't belong out there. Man belongs wherever he wants to go—and he'll do plenty well when he gets there.”
Born OTD
Born OTD
March 23, 2017 at 3:10 PM
“Don't tell me that man doesn't belong out there. Man belongs wherever he wants to go—and he'll do plenty well when he gets there.”
Born OTD
Born OTD
It has often proved true that the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.
Robert Goddard. First rocket flew OTD
Robert Goddard. First rocket flew OTD
March 16, 2017 at 3:42 PM
It has often proved true that the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.
Robert Goddard. First rocket flew OTD
Robert Goddard. First rocket flew OTD
“It is always fun to do challenging things.”
Astronaut @CFuglesang, seen here on one of his 5 spacewalks. Quote in <
Astronaut @CFuglesang, seen here on one of his 5 spacewalks. Quote in <
March 8, 2017 at 1:44 AM
“It is always fun to do challenging things.”
Astronaut @CFuglesang, seen here on one of his 5 spacewalks. Quote in <
Astronaut @CFuglesang, seen here on one of his 5 spacewalks. Quote in <
“Zero G, and I feel fine.”
John Glenn, first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, on this day, 1962. <
John Glenn, first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, on this day, 1962. <
February 20, 2017 at 3:34 PM
“Zero G, and I feel fine.”
John Glenn, first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, on this day, 1962. <
John Glenn, first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, on this day, 1962. <
If you could see the earth illuminated when you were in a place as dark as night, it would look to you more splendid than the moon.
Galileo
Galileo
February 15, 2017 at 3:31 PM
If you could see the earth illuminated when you were in a place as dark as night, it would look to you more splendid than the moon.
Galileo
Galileo
“A heck of a big leap.”
~ Bruce McCandless II, on making the first untethered spacewalk, OTD 1984. < >
~ Bruce McCandless II, on making the first untethered spacewalk, OTD 1984. < >
February 7, 2017 at 2:56 PM
“A heck of a big leap.”
~ Bruce McCandless II, on making the first untethered spacewalk, OTD 1984. < >
~ Bruce McCandless II, on making the first untethered spacewalk, OTD 1984. < >
“Al is on the surface. And it's been a long way, but we're here.”
Alan Shepard, Apollo 14, OTD 1971. His photo looks like iPhone pano!
Alan Shepard, Apollo 14, OTD 1971. His photo looks like iPhone pano!
February 5, 2017 at 3:45 PM
“Al is on the surface. And it's been a long way, but we're here.”
Alan Shepard, Apollo 14, OTD 1971. His photo looks like iPhone pano!
Alan Shepard, Apollo 14, OTD 1971. His photo looks like iPhone pano!
“Obviously a major malfunction.”
Stephen A Nesbitt, NASA PAO, live TV commentary, moments after the Shuttle Challenger exploded. OTD 1986.
Stephen A Nesbitt, NASA PAO, live TV commentary, moments after the Shuttle Challenger exploded. OTD 1986.
January 28, 2017 at 3:13 PM
“Obviously a major malfunction.”
Stephen A Nesbitt, NASA PAO, live TV commentary, moments after the Shuttle Challenger exploded. OTD 1986.
Stephen A Nesbitt, NASA PAO, live TV commentary, moments after the Shuttle Challenger exploded. OTD 1986.
“[I've, or We've] got a fire in the cockpit.”
Roger Chaffee, radio call from Apollo 1, this day 1967. < >
Roger Chaffee, radio call from Apollo 1, this day 1967. < >
January 27, 2017 at 3:01 PM
“[I've, or We've] got a fire in the cockpit.”
Roger Chaffee, radio call from Apollo 1, this day 1967. < >
Roger Chaffee, radio call from Apollo 1, this day 1967. < >
There were two dawns that morning. One the orderly sunrise of God, followed by man's fireball at the base of that rocket.
SaturnV ‘born’ OTD
SaturnV ‘born’ OTD
January 25, 2017 at 4:33 PM
There were two dawns that morning. One the orderly sunrise of God, followed by man's fireball at the base of that rocket.
SaturnV ‘born’ OTD
SaturnV ‘born’ OTD
“No better demonstration of the folly of human conceits”
Carl Sagan, on the distant view of Earth from space, in 'Time' magazine, OTD 1995.
Carl Sagan, on the distant view of Earth from space, in 'Time' magazine, OTD 1995.
January 9, 2017 at 5:01 PM
“No better demonstration of the folly of human conceits”
Carl Sagan, on the distant view of Earth from space, in 'Time' magazine, OTD 1995.
Carl Sagan, on the distant view of Earth from space, in 'Time' magazine, OTD 1995.
“Unless we are willing to settle down into a world that is our prison, we must be ready to move beyond Earth.”
Isaac Asimov, born today 1920
Isaac Asimov, born today 1920
January 2, 2017 at 1:01 PM
“Unless we are willing to settle down into a world that is our prison, we must be ready to move beyond Earth.”
Isaac Asimov, born today 1920
Isaac Asimov, born today 1920
“I can't recall ever not wanting to be an astronaut.”
@AstroAnnimal, interview in Glamour magazine:
@AstroAnnimal, interview in Glamour magazine:
December 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM
“I can't recall ever not wanting to be an astronaut.”
@AstroAnnimal, interview in Glamour magazine:
@AstroAnnimal, interview in Glamour magazine:
Astronaut and test pilot @StationCDRKelly, from interview in the May 2016 @AOPA_Pilot magazine #NASA #RecordsBroken
May 4, 2016 at 6:19 PM
Astronaut and test pilot @StationCDRKelly, from interview in the May 2016 @AOPA_Pilot magazine #NASA #RecordsBroken