“ It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. ”

“ I think we're going to the moon because it's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It's by the nature of his deep inner soul... we're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream. ”

“ I'm substantially concerned about the policy directions of the space agency. We have a situation in the U.S. where the White House and Congress are at odds over what the future direction should be. They're sort of playing a game and NASA is the shuttlecock that they're hitting back and forth. ”

“ NASA has been one of the most successful public investments in motivating students to do well and achieve all they can achieve. It's sad that we are turning the programme in a direction where it will reduce the amount of motivation and stimulation it provides to young people. ”

“ Science has not yet mastered prophecy. We predict too much for the next year and yet far too little for the next 10. ”

“ In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand. ”

“ I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work. ”

“ The one thing I regret was that my work required an enormous amount of my time, and a lot of travel. ”

“ Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand. ”

“ This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. ”