--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we are to send people, it must be for…" description: "\"“If we are to send people, it must be for a very good reason - and with a realistic understanding that almost certainly we will lose lives. Astronauts ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/carl-sagan-160_astronauts_if-we-are-to-send-people-it-must-be-for_2919101.jpg" --- # If we are to send people, it must be for a very good… ![“If we are to send people, it must be for a very good reason - and with a realistic understanding that almost certainly we will lose lives. Astronauts and Cosmonauts have always understood this. Nevertheless, there has been and will be no shortage of volunteers.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/carl-sagan-160_astronauts_if-we-are-to-send-people-it-must-be-for_2919101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/carl-sagan-160_astronauts_if-we-are-to-send-people-it-must-be-for_2919101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/carl-sagan-160_astronauts_if-we-are-to-send-people-it-must-be-for_2919101.jpg) > ““If we are to send people, it must be for a very good reason - and with a realistic understanding that almost certainly we will lose lives. Astronauts and Cosmonauts have always understood this. Nevertheless, there has been and will be no shortage of volunteers.”” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores the high cost of space travel and the willingness of volunteers despite risks. **In simple terms:** Space travel is risky but driven by purpose. Key Takeaway Recognize the sacrifice behind exploration. Themes risk exploration volunteerism Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - space missions - volunteer recruitment - policy debates Key Concepts ethical duty human curiosity Questions to Reflect On - What motivates individuals to accept extreme risk? - How should societies balance risk and reward? A Different Perspective Risks may outweigh benefits for some societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronauts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronauts/) [Cosmonauts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmonauts/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-exploration/) ## Related quotes > [I don't expect my flight to produce a generation of astronauts and cosmonauts back home, but I hope it will encourage people to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shuttleworth/i-don-t-expect-my-flight-to-produce-a-generation-of-astronauts-and/) [Mark Shuttleworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shuttleworth/) > [“Astronauts are inherently insane. And really noble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/astronauts-are-inherently-insane-and-really-noble/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [By 1973, we had a space station, the Skylab, and we had multiple probes going up to planets. So, all this wonderful stuff happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/by-1973-we-had-a-space-station-the-skylab-and-we-had-multiple-probes/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Cosmonauts can keep their word like men and women - particularly women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentina-tereshkova/cosmonauts-can-keep-their-word-like-men-and-women-particularly-women/) [Valentina Tereshkova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentina-tereshkova/) > [Whenever we went on a trip, picnic, or business trip, I was always with my dad, and I would just always be in contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-romanenko/whenever-we-went-on-a-trip-picnic-or-business-trip-i-was-always-with/) [Roman Romanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-romanenko/) > [All children of cosmonauts went to one school. 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I am ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentina-tereshkova/i-would-enjoy-flying-to-mars-this-was-the-dream-of-the-first/) [Valentina Tereshkova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentina-tereshkova/) > [“The Soviets were worried that the Americans would attack their "sparkling new Mir space station, ... in a space shuttle, throw out grappling hooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mahaffey/the-soviets-were-worried-that-the-americans-would-attack-their/) [James Mahaffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mahaffey/) > [Why can't a state that launches cosmonauts into space provide enough eggs and milk for its city children during the winter months?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-salisbury/why-can-t-a-state-that-launches-cosmonauts-into-space-provide-enough/) [Harrison Salisbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-salisbury/) > [“Just like the cosmonauts and their pee plants, all we have is each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/just-like-the-cosmonauts-and-their-pee-plants-all-we-have-is-each/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [I took a Russian class at Notre Dame. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would fly someday in a Russian spacecraft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-a-ford/i-took-a-russian-class-at-notre-dame-never-in-my-wildest-dreams-did-i/) [Kevin A. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-a-ford/) > [I would not say that female cosmonauts are not welcomed in the Russian space program. I must say, however, that all spaceflight hardware, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentina-tereshkova/i-would-not-say-that-female-cosmonauts-are-not-welcomed-in-the/) [Valentina Tereshkova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentina-tereshkova/) > [This was the first time we had two ex-Soviet Cosmonauts in Houston. A lot of us, including me, viewed it with some skepticism, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/this-was-the-first-time-we-had-two-ex-soviet-cosmonauts-in-houston-a/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [“(The Soviet space agency did not traditionally give cosmonauts steak and eggs before launch; it gave them a one-liter enema.) Fahey,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/the-soviet-space-agency-did-not-traditionally-give-cosmonauts-steak/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. 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The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Astronauts quotes > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [“Hero love?” I was puzzled. “You know. The kind of love you have for someone you want to be like: Marines, astronauts, cowboys, teachers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-dirks/hero-love-i-was-puzzled-you-know-the-kind-of-love-you-have-for/) [Leland Dirks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-dirks/) > [“Living close to the ground Is seventh Heaven 'cause there are angels all around Among my frivolous thoughts I believe there are beautiful things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/living-close-to-the-ground-is-seventh-heaven-cause-there-are-angels/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [“We're giving each other space." "You know what I think?" He shook his head. 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In other words, even space is getting more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/for-the-first-time-american-astronauts-on-the-international-space/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [It's almost comical that astronauts are stereotyped as daredevils and cowboys. As a rule, we're highly methodical and detail-oriented. Our passion isn't for thrills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/it-s-almost-comical-that-astronauts-are-stereotyped-as-daredevils-and/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“Seriously hairy shit was going down on a regular basis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/seriously-hairy-shit-was-going-down-on-a-regular-basis/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [No astronauts look like George Clooney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shaffir/no-astronauts-look-like-george-clooney/) [Ari Shaffir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shaffir/) > [“Mma Ramotswe found it difficult to imagine what it would be like to have no people. 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