Aldrin Quotes & Sayings

By refocusing our space program on Mars for America's future, we can restore the sense of wonder and adventure in space exploration that we knew in the summer of 1969. We won the moon race; now it's time for us to live and work on Mars, first on its moons and then on its surface. — Buzz Aldrin

Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. I am the first man to piss his pants on the moon. — Buzz Aldrin

You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable. — Buzz Aldrin

What comes after the moon? I think you can guess: Mars. — Buzz Aldrin

I failed music when I was a teenager. — Buzz Aldrin

When we get there, if we don't find any life on Mars, from that point on there will be life on Mars because we'll bring it there, whether it's germs and leftover urine bags, whatever it is. — Buzz Aldrin

I'm in favor of changing the destination of humans. There are a lot of manned missions that can be done, but not in the direction of the moon. — Buzz Aldrin

Apollo 11 was the movie premiere of moon landings, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Neil was a bit of a mystic, but also a taciturn guy from what I can tell. He really saw the moon as looking like the American high desert. He wasn't someone who dealt in metaphors. — Lily Koppel

I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited with 2 Russian-built Mig-15 destroyed during the Korean War. Where I was in 1953. — Buzz Aldrin

The g-forces increased and I wasn't able to continue to hold the camera against the window, so I had to lay it back against my chest, but still continued to photograph the re-entry until there was no more unusual visual effects of the energy in the atmosphere. And it was very comforting to understand that the people in Houston, the controllers, had very high confidence that we were on the right path. — Buzz Aldrin

For a million dollars, the Russians would take two people, a million apiece, around the moon and back. However, stories, videos that come from the space station, and other people, are a great inspiration to young people for an exciting career field. — Buzz Aldrin

Mars has been flown by, orbited, smacked into, radar inspected, and rocketed onto, as well as bounced upon, rolled over, shoveled, drilled into, baked, and even laser blasted. — Buzz Aldrin

I think the climate has been changing for billions of years. — Buzz Aldrin

I don't think we're going to build a 50-person spacecraft or a 100-person spacecraft. — Buzz Aldrin

Save the taxpayer's money by canceling the Ares 1 and V. — Buzz Aldrin

Bringing an asteroid back to Earth? What's that have to do with space exploration? If we were moving outward from there, and an asteroid is a good stopping point, then fine. But now it's turned into a whole planetary defense exercise at the cost of our outward exploration. — Buzz Aldrin

We need the next generation to be motivated and to push technological boundaries, to seek out new innovations. — Buzz Aldrin

For the future, primarily, we must educate people in science, engineering, technology and math. — Buzz Aldrin

Dwelling on an engine failure for a pilot as he rolls down the runway is NOT what he should be thinking about - it's obtaining a smooth liftoff! But in the back of his mind, he knows exactly what to do (or pretty much) and in many cases, if he's alone in the fighter aircraft, he has to leave that aircraft in an ejection seat in a big hurry! — Buzz Aldrin

I know: If you're looking down at Earth, you're looking through an atmosphere that has a bit of haze in many places and not just occasional clouds. — Buzz Aldrin

Long-term, I see robotics prevailing on the moon ... The most important decision we'll have to make about space travel is whether to commit to a permanent human presence on Mars. Without it, we'll never be a true space-faring people. — Buzz Aldrin

America must dream again, and have the faith to achieve the dream. — Buzz Aldrin

The big companies are the private industry. But they're faced with a short-term need to show a profit in short-term. — Buzz Aldrin

My expertise is the space program and what it should be in the future based on my experience of looking at the transitions that we've made between pre-Sputnik days and getting to the moon. — Buzz Aldrin

Trips to Mars, the Moon, even orbit, will require that we provide astrotourists with as many comforts from home as possible, including paying each other. — Buzz Aldrin

Maybe it was the challenge of flight, the opportunity to fly, the competition of summer camp and the inspiration and discipline of West Point. I think all of those things helped me to develop a dedication and inspired me to get ahead. — Buzz Aldrin

Computers allow us to squeeze the most out of everything, whether it's Google looking up things, so I guess that tends to make us a little lazy about reading books and doing things the hard way to understand how those things work. — Buzz Aldrin

The leader of an Earth organization who makes a commitment to history - of humans living on Earth, to begin permanent settlement/occupation of not the moon, but of another planet - this leader will have a legacy for history that will supersede Columbus, Genghis Khan or almost any recognized leader. — Buzz Aldrin

Like actors and writers who are on and off again in terms of employment, I had a very unstructured life. — Buzz Aldrin

I don't go through life verbalizing what I feel. — Buzz Aldrin

Mars is much closer to the characteristics of Earth. It has a fall, winter, summer and spring. North Pole, South Pole, mountains and lots of ice. No one is going to live on Venus; no one is going to live on Jupiter. — Buzz Aldrin

Don't waste your time on beaming people up or down. Instead, consider gravity waves as advanced physics of the universe that could be used to travel interstellar distances. — Buzz Aldrin

I wrote 'Reaching for the Moon' because I wanted to tell kids that all of us have a moon, a dream, that we can strive for. Even if you don't attain it, you can at least reach for it. — Buzz Aldrin

Nobody cares about the bronze or silver medals. — Buzz Aldrin

My petite little platinum blonde beauty of a wife suddenly turned into a public-relations dynamo. "The business is Buzz!" she proclaimed, and indeed so it became. — Buzz Aldrin

The energy varies with the square of the velocity, so if you need five times the velocity, that's 25 times the energy. — Buzz Aldrin

Exploring and colonizing Mars can bring us new scientific understanding of climate change, of how planet-wide processes can make a warm and wet world into a barren landscape. By exploring and understanding Mars, we may gain key insights into the past and future of our own world. — Buzz Aldrin

You can tell I'm not too bashful about some of my feelings. — Buzz Aldrin

What are you going to do with astronauts who first reach the surface of Mars and then turn around and rocket back home-ward? What are they going to do, write their memoirs? Would they go again? Having them repeat the voyage, in my view, is dim-witted. Why don't they stay there on Mars? — Buzz Aldrin

I remember it was hard to believe that I was taking a step onto the lunar surface. — Buzz Aldrin

I understand that Detroit was a pretty rough place to grow up in the '70s and '80s. — Buzz Aldrin

The biggest benefit of Apollo was the inspiration it gave to a growing generation to get into science and aerospace. — Buzz Aldrin

There's a tremendously satisfying freedom associated with weightlessness. It's challenging in the absence of traction or leverage, and it requires thoughtful readjustment. I found the experience of weightlessness to be one of the most fun and enjoyable, challenging and rewarding, experiences of spaceflight. Returning to Earth brings with it a great sense of heaviness, and a need for careful movement. In some ways it's not too different from returning from a rocking ocean ship. — Buzz Aldrin

I suggest that going to Mars means permanence on the planet - a mission by which we are building up a confidence level to become a two-planet species. — Buzz Aldrin

Everyone who's been in space would, I'm sure, welcome the opportunity for a return to the exhilarating experiences there. — Buzz Aldrin

Let's not spend resources that we don't need to be sending astronauts back to the moon. Let's not spend expensive resources on bringing people who have reached Mars back again. Prepare them to become a growing colony. — Buzz Aldrin

I grew up in a country that I thought was special. And it was. — Buzz Aldrin

I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime. — Buzz Aldrin

I am definitely not rich. — Buzz Aldrin

There are a lot of people that get interested in something, and they hear about it, and they read about it, and then they watch it happen, and that's why I had quite an interest in the lottery because you'd interest a lot of people, and then just a few would win a chance to do something. — Buzz Aldrin

There's no doubt that there will be many trials and tribulations along the way in taming space for the benefit of all, unmasking its truths and using the boundless resources available to us. Taking a chance allows us to seek new horizons
and we all benefit from being horizon hunters. — Buzz Aldrin

All the Chinese have to do is fly around the Moon and back, and they'll appear to have won the return to the Moon with humans. They could put one person on the surface of the Moon for one day and he'd be a national hero. — Buzz Aldrin

Growing up, I was fascinated with Buck Rogers' airplanes. As I began to mature in World War II, it became jets and rocket planes. But it was always in the air. — Buzz Aldrin

The first footfalls on Mars will mark a historic milestone, an enterprise that requires human tenacity matched with technology to anchor ourselves on another world. — Buzz Aldrin

The life expectancy of people going to Mars may be decreased by the higher level of radiation that they receive. — Buzz Aldrin

To move forward, what's required is a unified space agenda based on exploration, science, development, commerce, and security. — Buzz Aldrin

In a Sense, we all are Time Travelers! We are Surviving each and every Active Time-Point in this Timeline....... — Aldrin Mathew

Mars is far more attractive as an outpost colony for earthlings than the moon is. — Buzz Aldrin

Unless we are able to commit to a permanent growing settlement [on Mars], then I don't think just going there with humans and coming back is worth doing. The expense of planning to come back is like the people who left Europe to come to America and then to turn around and go back to Europe, it really doesn't make any sense at all. — Buzz Aldrin

People communicate in Twittering ways. I've learned how to do that. — Buzz Aldrin

Who put their foot in the Missouri River first: Lewis or Clark? Who cares! — Buzz Aldrin

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin [Buzz] Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. — Richard M. Nixon

I am not sure about Bill Nelson. I haven't heard him say, 'Let's junk the NASA plan to send humans to the moon.' He's not about to say that. That would not be very popular. — Buzz Aldrin

When you're in a spacecraft, you need to know what things you can touch and what things you shouldn't touch! — Buzz Aldrin

There's no guarantee that the United States will be around 200 years from now. — Buzz Aldrin

I'm not in favor of just taking short-term isolated situations and depleting our resources to keep our climate just the way it is today. — Buzz Aldrin

The pilgrims on the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. To my knowledge, they didn't wait around for a return trip to Europe. You settle some place with a purpose. If you don't want to do that, stay home. You avoid an awful lot of risks by not venturing outward. — Buzz Aldrin

It's not easy to get human beings into orbit. So far only three nations have been able to do that, with all the resources that they put together. And I'm just a little skeptical that that's going to be done by the private sector without making use of what has been done by the government. — Buzz Aldrin

There are always door openings. And gradually, it accumulates. The opportunities open up in front of you. — Buzz Aldrin

This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way. — Buzz Aldrin

Absolutely the United States should lead in space, for the survival of the United States. It's inspiring for the next generation. If we lose leadership, then we'll be using Chinese capability to inspire Americans. — Buzz Aldrin

I'm urging NASA to foster the development of what I call 'runway landers.' No, that's not the name of a high stakes gambler from Vegas. It's a type of spacecraft that flies to orbit like the retiring Shuttles but then glides to a landing like an airplane on a runway. Just like the Shuttles do. — Buzz Aldrin

Only a large-volume market like space travel can attack the barrier of high costs. — Buzz Aldrin

It's real easy to manufacture what you think the people want to hear. But that's not very honest. — Buzz Aldrin

Look at what Silicon Valley has done - the advance of computers. — Buzz Aldrin

The view from space is like having a globe on your desk
it's a broadening experience. — Buzz Aldrin

I believe that space travel will one day become as common as airline travel is today. I'm convinced, however, that the true future of space travel does not lie with government agencies
NASA is still obsessed with the idea that the primary purpose of the space program is science
but real progress will come from private companies competing to provide the ultimate adventure ride, and NASA will receive the trickle-down benefits. — Buzz Aldrin

History gets reinterpreted as time goes on. Many times, the participants are lost in the retelling of the story. — Buzz Aldrin

Do we really need these big, gigantic, heavy rockets? What if we launch a rocket that's empty, and its sole purpose is to act as a source of fuel on the Moon? Who should build that? Well, I think the U.S. should build that. — Buzz Aldrin

With his deeds, not only words, President Obama has revitalized our struggling space program. — Buzz Aldrin

When I was a little kid, we only knew about our nine planets. Since then, we've downgraded Pluto but have discovered that other solar systems and stars are common. So life is probably quite prevalent. — Buzz Aldrin

Mars has a bit of air pressure; maybe we can build up that atmosphere to be a bit more accommodating to humans. — Buzz Aldrin

I expected the unexpected and went [on the Moon] with an open mind. I think the visual scene was described by my words on first landing - "magnificent desolation." Magnificent for the achievement of being there, and desolate for the eons of lifelessness. — Buzz Aldrin

Bravery comes along as a gradual accumulation of discipline. — Buzz Aldrin

I think the public needs to be reminded just how much inspiration and intention was given throughout the world to be bold, to send human beings to the moon in the '60s and the '70s. It's important now to bring together the nations that weren't able to do it then and help them do it. We need to move forward. — Buzz Aldrin

The way I see it, commercial interests should manage a lunar base while NASA gets on with the really important task of flying to Mars. — Buzz Aldrin

If we go back to the moon, we're guaranteed second, maybe third place because while we are spending all that money, Russia has its eye on Mars. Landing people on the moon will be terribly consuming of resources we don't have. It sounds great - 'Let's go back. This time we're going to stay.' I don't know why you would want to stay on the moon. — Buzz Aldrin

Unfortunately, pioneers will always pave the way with sacrifices. — Buzz Aldrin

Because of his military service, Dad was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. — Buzz Aldrin

I think there would be no shortage of applicants to the government astronaut corps to be settlers on the planet Mars. And I think this would be very inspiring. — Buzz Aldrin

From the distance of the moon, Earth was four times the size of a full moon seen from Earth. It was a brilliant jewel in the black velvet sky. — Buzz Aldrin

There's a historical milestone in the fact that our Apollo 11 landing on the moon took place a mere 66 years after the Wright Brothers' first flight. — Buzz Aldrin

Returning to the Moon with NASA astronauts is not the best usage of our resources. Because OUR resources should be directed to outward, beyond-the-moon, to establishing habitation and laboratories on the surface of Mars that can be built, assembled, from the close-by moons of Mars. — Buzz Aldrin

Not everyone can be an astronaut and go into space, some people with sufficient resources can purchase and fly sub-orbitally thanks to various companies and for more money (considerably) fly into orbit. — Buzz Aldrin

America's can-do spirit cast a warm glow across nations and cultures, generating more goodwill and support for our country's ideals and causes than had otherwise been possible. — Buzz Aldrin

I'm sure that there are places in the deserts in Australia that could be similar to where we might want to go on Mars. — Buzz Aldrin

As time goes by, I'm increasingly impressed by how very special and timely it was that we got the degree of national commitment needed to put people on the Moon. For the first time, this nation was united in trying to develop an interplanetary capability. We've been trying to repeat that situation ever since. — Buzz Aldrin

We'll get to the details of what's around here, but it looks like a collection of just about every variety of shape - angularity, granularity, about every variety of rock ... The colors - well ... There doesn't appear to be too much of a general color at all; however, it looks as though some of the rocks and boulders are going to have some interesting colors to them. Over. — Buzz Aldrin

I think we need to move to the moons of Mars and learn how to control robots that are on the surface. It's not the impatient way of getting there, but Mars has been there a long time. — Buzz Aldrin

America can take man to the moon, and America can take men to Mars - and beyond. — Buzz Aldrin