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Author Topic:   Fantastic quotes attributed to astronauts
gareth89
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posted 06-18-2022 07:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gareth89   Click Here to Email gareth89     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There's a million and one great quotes that the early space travelers conrtributed to us, and I'm partial to those from the Apollo guys and earlier.

Frank Borman's is one of my favorites; "A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of his superior skill."

What an amazing sequence of words to spew! I'd love to hear more from Col. Borman and your own favorites!

David C
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posted 06-19-2022 02:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Oh dear, you really can’t attribute that to Borman. He’s a pilot and that’s a very well known/ standard ancient piece of pilot advice. You may as well drag out every standard pilot quote and put them in the mouth of every pilot astronaut, because they’ll all have used just about every single one.

Four most useless things in an airplane? Altitude above you, runway behind you, gas in the airfield bowser and a tenth of a second ago.

Only time you’ve got too much gas? When you’re on fire.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

gareth89
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posted 06-19-2022 05:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for gareth89   Click Here to Email gareth89     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That’s a shame, I thought it was an original Borman! Nevertheless my sentiment remains the same, what are your favorite quotes that you can attribute to the astronauts?

garymilgrom
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posted 06-19-2022 06:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for garymilgrom   Click Here to Email garymilgrom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think memorable quotes spring from emotional responses, and astronauts were trained to not let emotions cloud their judgement. But I also believe every moonwalker was overcome by emotion and you'll find what you're looking for there. Neil's "one small step...", Buzz's "making sure not to lock the door" and "magnificent desolation," Pete's "may have been a small one for Neil..." etc.

oly
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posted 06-19-2022 07:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for oly   Click Here to Email oly     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
(Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969)

"You care for a corned beef sandwich skipper?"
(John Young, March 23, 1965)

Son of a bitch.
(Gene Cernan, Apollo 10 MET 102:45:19, Day 5, May 1969)

rjb1elec
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posted 06-19-2022 08:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for rjb1elec   Click Here to Email rjb1elec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I like Dave Scott's quote from Plutarch, "The mind is not just a vessel to be filled but also a fire to be lighted" and also the classic from Alan Shepard "Fix your little problem and light this candle."

Headshot
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posted 06-19-2022 12:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have always liked Deke Slayton's question to Wally Shirra at 3m 40s into the flight of Sigma 7, "Are you a turtle today?"

Blackarrow
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posted 06-19-2022 01:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What about one of the best-known (and most often misquoted) quotations: "Houston, we've had a problem." Classic right-stuff understatement that has entered the language, unfortunately in the form of the present-tense misquotation. The space-age "Play it again, Sam."

MCroft04
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posted 06-19-2022 03:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One of my favorites after the STS-41D launch abort from Steve Hawley. "I thought we'd be a lot higher at MECO!"

Headshot
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posted 06-19-2022 04:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Of course there is always Pete Conrad's pithy advice, "If you can't be good, be colorful."

Jonnyed
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posted 06-19-2022 08:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jonnyed   Click Here to Email Jonnyed     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Alan Shepard:

"No way that any astronaut worth his salt volunteered for the space program to become a hero. You don't select astronauts who want fame and fortune. You select them because they're the best test pilots in the world, they know it, and it's a personal challenge for them."

Henry Heatherbank
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posted 06-20-2022 04:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Henry Heatherbank     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MCroft04:
One of my favorites after the STS-41D launch abort...
Close: "I thought we'd be higher when the engines quit." (Same thing really).

MCroft04
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posted 06-20-2022 06:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I just copied it from an internet link; should have looked closer. Thanks.

David C
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posted 06-20-2022 01:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Henry Heatherbank:
Close: "I thought we'd be higher when the engines quit."
What's your source for that Henry? Every version I've heard uses MECO. Hank Hartsfield remembered it this way in his JSC oral history: "Gee, I kind of thought we'd be a little higher at MECO."

Robert Pearlman
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posted 06-20-2022 02:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Mike Mullane's oral history has it as, "Gosh, I thought we'd be higher when the engines quit."

MartinAir
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posted 06-20-2022 02:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MartinAir   Click Here to Email MartinAir     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In light of recent events, I like this one:
“From out there on the Moon, international politics looks so petty.” ― Edgar Mitchell

David C
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posted 06-20-2022 02:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Shame they didn’t save the tape.

ea757grrl
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posted 06-20-2022 05:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Gordon Cooper, as the systems aboard Faith 7 went south: "Well, things are beginning to stack up a little. ASCS inverter is acting up, and my CO2 is building up in the suit. Partial pressure of 02 is decreasing in the cabin. Standby inverter won't come on the line. Other than that, things are fine."

MCroft04
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posted 06-20-2022 06:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by David C:
Shame they didn’t save the tape.
From a cS October 22, 2010 post. Perhaps we need to ask Dr. Hawley!

"Gee, I thought we'd be a lot higher at MECO!" - Steve Hawley, after STS-41D's pad abort.

ColinBurgess
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posted 06-20-2022 07:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ColinBurgess   Click Here to Email ColinBurgess     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scott Carpenter: "God speed, John Glenn."

Henry Heatherbank
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posted 06-21-2022 12:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Henry Heatherbank     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by David C:
What's your source for that Henry?
Mike Mullane in Riding Rockets, although I see Robert has also referenced Mullane’s JSC Oral History.

drifting to the right
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posted 06-21-2022 06:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for drifting to the right     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Pete Conrad (1959): "It's upside down."

drifting to the right
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posted 06-21-2022 06:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for drifting to the right     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Neil Armstrong (1969): "Somebody's upside down."

Skylon
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posted 06-21-2022 07:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skylon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"What a way to come to California." - Bob Crippen during the STS-1 landing.

"This is what they pay us the big bucks for." - John Young, STS-9 when a GPC crashed.

After the Capcom summarized all the weather challenges facing STS-116 on landing day (questionable weather at KSC and Edwards and the first possibility in YEARS of a landing at White Sands).

"Sounds like a normal landing day." - Mark Polansky

"No use dying all tensed up." - Hoot Gibson, STS-27 when the crew feared the Shuttle's TPS was damaged to the extent that they might not survive re-entry.

p51
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posted 06-21-2022 04:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A few aviation ones:

"Radio has no future. Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. X-rays will prove to be a hoax."
- William Thomson, Lord Kelvin English scientist, 1899

"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."
- Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

The only time an aircraft has too much fuel on board is when it is on fire.
-Sir Charles Kingsford Smith

Never fly the 'A' model of anything.
-Ed Thompson

Never fly anything that doesn't have the paint worn off the Rudder Pedals.
-Harry Bill

If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible.
-Bob Hoover

The emergencies you train for almost never happen. It's the one you can't train for that kills you.
-Ernest K. Gann

Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.
-Richard Herman Jr.

quote:
Originally posted by Headshot:
Of course there is always Pete Conrad's pithy advice, "If you can't be good, be colorful."
Every time I quote this, I always tell the person that Conrad could say this because he was VERY good and colorful.

Blackarrow
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posted 06-21-2022 07:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Let's not forget that seminal moment in human history:

"Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The 'Eagle' has landed."

That was the "land a man on the Moon" part of Kennedy's announcement. The bit about "returning him safely to the Earth" was witnessed by the crew of helicopter No. 53 from the USS Hornet and resulted in the announcement "Splashdown! Apollo has splashdown." That's when we all knew the great adventure had been successful.

MartinAir
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posted 06-21-2022 07:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MartinAir   Click Here to Email MartinAir     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From "The Friday Pilots" (Co-Authored by Jim McDivitt):

"All this talk about lift and drag is scientific nonsense- airplanes fly on money."

"I became a millionaire in the aviation business-How did you do that?-I started out as a billionaire."

"The only time in an airplane when you have too much fuel is when you are on fire."

"You have never been lost until you have been lost at Mach two."

Andy Anderson
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posted 06-21-2022 08:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Andy Anderson   Click Here to Email Andy Anderson     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Another Pete Conrad quote I love apparently occurred during his first attempt at applying to become an astronaut when at the end of the pysch test on being shown a blank card, he told the psychiatrist that he could not make out what it was.

When asked why – "Because you got it upside down" (from Rocket Man - p 116)

I also like one from Fred Haise as he was writing down the revised LM checklist prior to re-entry that was being read up by Vance Brand.

CC: Roger. Next. The LMP should transfer to the CM

Fred: "Okay. I'll underline that one. LMP transfers to CM".

CC: Don't let them forget you.

MCroft04
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posted 06-21-2022 08:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
How about Dave Scott on Apollo 15 after he and Irwin found a white crystalline rock (anorthosite);

“I think we just found what we came for!”

Rick Mulheirn
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posted 06-22-2022 04:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rick Mulheirn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
“Man must explore and this is exploration at its greatest”. Dave Scott. Apollo 15

burnsnz
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posted 06-29-2022 07:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for burnsnz   Click Here to Email burnsnz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Gus Grissom "Do good work."

His entire speech to the employees at Convair who were building the Atlas Boosters.

gareth89
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posted 06-29-2022 07:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gareth89   Click Here to Email gareth89     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I can’t tell you all how much I’m enjoying this thread

gareth89
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posted 06-29-2022 07:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gareth89   Click Here to Email gareth89     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"I'm happy to report that no amount of prior study or training can fully prepare anybody for the awe and wonder this inspires." — Kathryn Sullivan

ejectr
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posted 06-30-2022 07:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of two million parts — all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract."

John Glenn

brianjbradley
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posted 06-30-2022 09:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for brianjbradley   Click Here to Email brianjbradley     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Right here and now, it’s time to let freedom roar!” - Dom Gorie to Launch Director Mike Leinbach, STS-108 (Dec. 5, 2001)

p51
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posted 06-30-2022 12:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Never heard that before, I LOVE it!

heng44
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posted 07-02-2022 02:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for heng44   Click Here to Email heng44     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Apollo 10, following undocking of Charlie Brown and Snoopy in lunar orbit:

098:46:30 Young (in Charlie Brown): Keep up the good work, boys. You will never know how big this thing gets when there ain't nothing in here but one guy.
098:46:40 Cernan (in Snoopy): You will never know how small it looks when you are as far as we are.

Headshot
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posted 07-02-2022 11:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I really like this thread and hope it continues. From my interactions with the general population I am certain any random acquaintance, with a general knowledge of "history," would come up (or recognize) at least four out of the following five.
  1. Houston, we've had a problem ...
  2. Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.
  3. Magnificent desolation.
  4. Godspeed, John Glenn.
  5. Son of a bitch!

Jonnyed
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posted 07-02-2022 05:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jonnyed   Click Here to Email Jonnyed     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
How about Buzz's: "Will you get away from me?" (to Sibrel)

GACspaceguy
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posted 07-02-2022 05:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for GACspaceguy   Click Here to Email GACspaceguy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This in one of my favorite Pete Conrad quotes. His first steps on the moon on Apollo 12:

"Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me."


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