Famous Astronaut Quotes

Landing on the Moon

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 first moon landing, we honor the spirit of space exploration.

Compiled by Benjamin Minkoff

On May 25th, 1961, President John F. Kennedy made this declarative statement:

"I believe that this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth."

His bold challenge was answered just over eight years later, when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man ever to set foot on our moon.

The space race didn't merely give us numerous advances in technology, or valuable scientific data. It gave us a sense of perspective. In our collective achievement of a task many thought impossible, it demonstrated how strong we all are together. And in giving us a view of Earth as it really is, it showed us how much we all share, and how artificial the boundaries that divide us truly are.

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of humanity's first landing on the moon, we give you this selection of famous astronaut quotes from throughout the human history of space exploration.