--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started working with NASA in 1989…" description: "\"When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a mission to send spacecraft to Pluto, I knew it would take at least 10-15 years to see results of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png" --- # When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a… ![“When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a mission to send spacecraft to Pluto, I knew it would take at least 10-15 years to see results of my efforts.” quote by Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png) > “When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a mission to send spacecraft to Pluto, I knew it would take at least 10-15 years to see results of my efforts.” [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long-term scientific projects require patience, as results may take many years to materialize. **In simple terms:** Space missions need years before outcomes appear. Key Takeaway Plan for and accept long timelines in research. Themes patience science long-term planning Mood reflective determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - space exploration - academic research - government programs Key Concepts mission timelines research funding technological development Questions to Reflect On - What strategies keep teams motivated over decades? - How to balance immediate needs with future gains? A Different Perspective Funding cuts or shifting priorities can jeopardize extended projects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission/) [NASA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nasa/) [Pluto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pluto/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [Being a biochemist, I did a lot of tissue-culture research prior to working at NASA and when I first started working there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/being-a-biochemist-i-did-a-lot-of-tissue-culture-research-prior-to/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [There are many Iranians working at NASA. One of the engineers involved with the spaceship that went to Mars is an Iranian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-diba/there-are-many-iranians-working-at-nasa-one-of-the-engineers-involved/) [Farah Diba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-diba/) > [Women make up only 25 percent of the science, engineering and technology workforce... We are delighted to be working with NASA Ames to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/women-make-up-only-25-percent-of-the-science-engineering-and/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I love working at NASA, but the part that has been the most satisfying on a day-to-day basis, hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute, has been working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-love-working-at-nasa-but-the-part-that-has-been-the-most-satisfying/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [I knew I wanted to be a part of NASA in any case, and so I chose my goals in education to be consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-nasa-in-any-case-and-so-i-chose-my/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [I look forward to working with the NASA team to help enable new discoveries in our quest to understand our home planet and unravel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/i-look-forward-to-working-with-the-nasa-team-to-help-enable-new/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) > [You could not have predicted the amazing discoveries at Pluto, even though we have been to a couple of objects in the solar system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/you-could-not-have-predicted-the-amazing-discoveries-at-pluto-even/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [By going to Pluto, we have a chance to anchor, with real data, models of the early evolution of Earth's atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/by-going-to-pluto-we-have-a-chance-to-anchor-with-real-data-models-of/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [I can't imagine how many kids around the world will look at pictures of Pluto and think, 'I want to grow up to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/i-can-t-imagine-how-many-kids-around-the-world-will-look-at-pictures/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [If you go to planetary science meetings and hear technical talks on Pluto, you will hear experts calling it a planet every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/if-you-go-to-planetary-science-meetings-and-hear-technical-talks-on/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Pluto has strong atmospheric cycles: it snows on the surface; the snows sublimate and go back into the atmosphere each 248 year orbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/pluto-has-strong-atmospheric-cycles-it-snows-on-the-surface-the-snows/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [If two billion people wanted to watch a robot fly by Pluto, imagine what it will be like when the first humans step on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/if-two-billion-people-wanted-to-watch-a-robot-fly-by-pluto-imagine/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Pluto is still active four and a half billion years into its history. It was expected that small planets like Pluto would cool off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/pluto-is-still-active-four-and-a-half-billion-years-into-its-history/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [It used to be said that Pluto is a misfit. But now we know Earth is the misfit. This is the most populous class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/it-used-to-be-said-that-pluto-is-a-misfit-but-now-we-know-earth-is/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Of course Pluto is a planet: It's massive enough to have its shape controlled by gravity rather than material strength, which is the hallmark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/of-course-pluto-is-a-planet-it-s-massive-enough-to-have-its-shape/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) ## More by Alan Stern > [Competition-driven innovation and price pressure that commercial practices foster can only make human spaceflight ever more common and U.S. leadership in this domain ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/competition-driven-innovation-and-price-pressure-that-commercial/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Of course Pluto is a planet: It's massive enough to have its shape controlled by gravity rather than material strength, which is the hallmark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/of-course-pluto-is-a-planet-it-s-massive-enough-to-have-its-shape/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [It used to be said that Pluto is a misfit. But now we know Earth is the misfit. This is the most populous class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/it-used-to-be-said-that-pluto-is-a-misfit-but-now-we-know-earth-is/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [The Kuiper belt region, which I call the third zone because it lies beyond the rocky terrestrial planets and beyond the giant planets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/the-kuiper-belt-region-which-i-call-the-third-zone-because-it-lies/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [I think if you were between maybe 6 and 16, there was nothing like Apollo, and I wonder if there can be something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/i-think-if-you-were-between-maybe-6-and-16-there-was-nothing-like/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [If you put Earth out beyond Neptune, you wouldn't be able to call it a planet because it couldn't clear its zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/if-you-put-earth-out-beyond-neptune-you-wouldn-t-be-able-to-call-it-a/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Why would you listen to an astronomer about a planet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/why-would-you-listen-to-an-astronomer-about-a-planet/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [When we first sent missions to Jupiter, no one expected to find moons that would have active volcanoes. And I could go down a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/when-we-first-sent-missions-to-jupiter-no-one-expected-to-find-moons/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Pluto is still active four and a half billion years into its history. It was expected that small planets like Pluto would cool off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/pluto-is-still-active-four-and-a-half-billion-years-into-its-history/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [The Kuiper Belt is the largest mapped structure in our planetary system, three times as big as all the territory from the sun out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/the-kuiper-belt-is-the-largest-mapped-structure-in-our-planetary/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [If two billion people wanted to watch a robot fly by Pluto, imagine what it will be like when the first humans step on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/if-two-billion-people-wanted-to-watch-a-robot-fly-by-pluto-imagine/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [To keep everyone invested in your vision, you have to back up a little bit and really analyze who the different stakeholders are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/to-keep-everyone-invested-in-your-vision-you-have-to-back-up-a-little/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [We're going to find Marses and maybe Earths out in the solar system's attic of the Oort Cloud and the Kuiper Belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/we-re-going-to-find-marses-and-maybe-earths-out-in-the-solar-system-s/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [One of the implications of the discovery of the Kuiper Belt and its many small planets is that many scientists now think of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/one-of-the-implications-of-the-discovery-of-the-kuiper-belt-and-its/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [CASIS has to succeed because for it not to succeed would be a huge setback for the International Space Station program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/casis-has-to-succeed-because-for-it-not-to-succeed-would-be-a-huge/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) [Explore all 102 Alan Stern quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. 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Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a mission to send spacecraft to Pluto, I knew it would take at least 10-15 years to see results of my efforts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Stern" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989-as-part-of-a-mission-to-send/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989-as-part-of-a-mission-to-send/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/alan-stern-5283_goals_when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989_1088073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I started working with NASA in 1989 as part of a mission to send spacecraft to Pluto, I knew it would…” — Alan Stern", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Stern", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I started working with NASA...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989-as-part-of-a-mission-to-send/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/when-i-started-working-with-nasa-in-1989-as-part-of-a-mission-to-send/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```