Here are 30 Life-Changing Quotes From Neil Armstrong. These quotes reflect Neil Armstrong’s reflections on space exploration, human achievement, and the significance of the Apollo 11 mission:
- “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” – First words on the moon, Apollo 11 Moon Landing (July 20, 1969)
- “I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine.” – Interview with Walter Cronkite, 1980
- “Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” – Interview, 2000
- “I think we’re going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges.” – Interview, 1985
- “In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand.” – Speech at MIT, 1970
- “Science has not yet mastered prophecy. We predict too much for the next year and yet far too little for the next ten.” – Speech at Purdue University, 1976
- “I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth.” – Interview, 1973
- “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.” – Interview, 1970
- “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” – First words on the moon, Apollo 11 Moon Landing (July 20, 1969)
- “Geologists have a saying – rocks remember.” – Speech at Purdue University, 1976
- “Pilots take no special joy in walking: pilots like flying.” – Apollo 11 mission debrief, 1969
- “We leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.” – Apollo 11, 1969
- “Opportunities will not be for the quick and the strong, but for the clear.” – Speech, 1989
- “It’s a great honor to have the responsibility of representing all of mankind.” – Interview, 1969
- “I was elated, ecstatic and extremely surprised that we were successful.” – Interview, 1969
- “I can honestly say—and it’s a big surprise to me—that I have never had a dream about being on the moon.” – Interview, 1972
- “It’s a brilliant surface in that sunlight.” – Apollo 11 mission debrief, 1969
- “The important achievement of Apollo was demonstrating that humanity is not forever chained to this planet and our visions go rather further than that.” – Speech, 1980
- “I am, and ever will be, a white socks, pocket protector, nerdy engineer.” – Speech at National Press Club, 2000
- “The single thing which makes any man happiest is the realization that he has worked up to the limits of his ability.” – Interview, 1970
- “I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work.” – Interview, 1973
- “I fully expected that, by the end of the century, we would have achieved substantially more than we actually did.” – Speech, 2000
- “History is a sequence of random events and unpredictable choices, which is why the future is so difficult to foresee.” – Speech at NASA’s 50th Anniversary, 2008
- “Research is creating new knowledge.” – Speech at the University of Cincinnati, 1979
- “The regret on my part is that the space station was not in place to greet us.” – Interview, 1999
- “We were simply a reflection of the mood of the nation.” – Interview, 1969
- “There are great ideas undiscovered, breakthroughs available to those who can remove one of truth’s protective layers.” – Speech at NASA’s 50th Anniversary, 2008
- “We had hundreds of thousands of people all dedicated to doing the perfect job, and I think they did about as well as anyone could ever expect.” – Interview, 1980
- “I think we’re going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges.” – Interview, 1985
- “The dream of every astronaut, from Mercury on, was to have a flight in a flying machine.” – Interview, 1999