--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why are we now going into space? Well…" description: "\"Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg" --- # Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble… ![“Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.” quote by Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg) > “Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.” [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human curiosity drives us to explore beyond immediate horizons, making the unknown familiar. **In simple terms:** We explore to know what we don’t know. Key Takeaway Embrace exploration. Themes exploration curiosity human progress Mood inspiring thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - space missions - scientific research - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism frontierism Questions to Reflect On - What unknown do you fear most? - How does curiosity shape your life? A Different Perspective Exploration can be costly and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appointments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appointments/) [Going Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-space-489303/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Known Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known-journey-3851641/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Prime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-did-1615509/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Unknown Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unknown-known-668490/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/the-most-worthwhile-things-in-life-rarely-come-easy-this-is-a-lesson/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [Only in space did I realize how lucky I am to be Korean. Only in Korea could I have gone to space before turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yi-so-yeon/only-in-space-did-i-realize-how-lucky-i-am-to-be-korean-only-in-korea/) [Yi So-Yeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yi-so-yeon/) > [“Yefgenii said, "The Americans spent millions of dollars designing a pen that would work in space. What did we do?" Gevorkian's head was down,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/yefgenii-said-the-americans-spent-millions-of-dollars-designing-a-pen/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [“An astronaut is someone who’s able to make good decisions quickly, with incomplete information, when the consequences really matter. I didn’t miraculously become one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/an-astronaut-is-someone-who-s-able-to-make-good-decisions-quickly/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [My interest in astronomy grew from the play 'Space' that I did, where I had to learn where my character was from. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/my-interest-in-astronomy-grew-from-the-play-space-that-i-did-where-i/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [“Before my dad died I saw the world as a place. By "place" I mean space. Fixed. Space did not move, but people moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fusselman/before-my-dad-died-i-saw-the-world-as-a-place-by-place-i-mean-space/) [Amy Fusselman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fusselman/) > [We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/we-are-on-a-journey-to-keep-an-appointment-with-whatever-we-are/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [to early seen unknown...and known to late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-early-seen-unknown-and-known-to-late/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Though this universe I own, I possess not a thing, for I cannot know the unknown if to the known I cling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisher/though-this-universe-i-own-i-possess-not-a-thing-for-i-cannot-know/) [Robert Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisher/) > [Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/whether-you-succeed-or-not-is-irrelevant-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [People Have time for Unknown, But not for Known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-have-time-for-unknown-but-not-for-known/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Too early seen unknown, and known too late!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/too-early-seen-unknown-and-known-too-late/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Unknown can be known, known can't be Unknown -Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/unknown-can-be-known-known-can-t-be-unknown-syed-sharukh/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [I have yet to meet two types of people; unknown and those who are known to only unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-have-yet-to-meet-two-types-of-people-unknown-and-those-who-are/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-transition-from-unknown-to-known-in-publishing-has-been/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More by Gene Roddenberry > [Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/space-the-final-frontier-these-are-the-voyages-of-the-starship/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/star-trek-was-an-attempt-to-say-that-humanity-will-reach-maturity-and/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [It is important to the typical 'Star Trek' fan that there is a tomorrow. They pretty much share the 'Star Trek' philosophies about life:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/it-is-important-to-the-typical-star-trek-fan-that-there-is-a-tomorrow/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [His name is 'Mr. Spock.' And the first view of him can be almost frightening - a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/his-name-is-mr-spock-and-the-first-view-of-him-can-be-almost/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [It is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are. It does not matter that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/it-is-the-struggle-itself-that-is-most-important-we-must-strive-to-be/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [“Reality is incredibly larger, infinitely more exciting, than the flesh and blood vehicle we travel in here. If you read science fiction, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/reality-is-incredibly-larger-infinitely-more-exciting-than-the-flesh/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [“I handed them a script and they turned it down. It was too controversial. It talked about concepts like, 'Who is God?' The Enterprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/i-handed-them-a-script-and-they-turned-it-down-it-was-too/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [...nuclear warfare is not necessary to cause a breakdown of our society. You take a large city like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago-their water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/nuclear-warfare-is-not-necessary-to-cause-a-breakdown-of-our-society/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [The Strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/the-strength-of-a-civilization-is-not-measured-by-its-ability-to/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [I hope that I helped to build a fierce pride in what we are and what we can do if we set our minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/i-hope-that-i-helped-to-build-a-fierce-pride-in-what-we-are-and-what/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [For most people, religion is nothing more than a substitute for a malfunctioning brain. If people need religion, ignore them and maybe they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/for-most-people-religion-is-nothing-more-than-a-substitute-for-a/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [My model for Kirk was Horatio Hornblower from the C.S. Forester sea stories. Shatner was open-minded about science fiction and a marvelous choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/my-model-for-kirk-was-horatio-hornblower-from-the-c-s-forester-sea/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [I was tired of writing for shows where there was always a shoot-out in the last act and somebody was killed. 'Star Trek' was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/i-was-tired-of-writing-for-shows-where-there-was-always-a-shoot-out/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [It has become a crusade of mine to demonstrate that TV need not be violent to be exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/it-has-become-a-crusade-of-mine-to-demonstrate-that-tv-need-not-be/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [They say that ninety per cent of TV is junk. But ninety per cent of everything is junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/they-say-that-ninety-per-cent-of-tv-is-junk-but-ninety-per-cent-of/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) [Explore all 80 Gene Roddenberry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) ## More Appointments quotes > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [We're living in a time when parenting is not at all mirroring the way I was parented. For me, I just followed my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-falco/we-re-living-in-a-time-when-parenting-is-not-at-all-mirroring-the-way/) [Edie Falco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-falco/) > [Mayor De Blasio's appointment of Bill Bratton as police commissioner is the height of hypocrisy. Asking Bratton to stop racial profiling and stop and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barron/mayor-de-blasio-s-appointment-of-bill-bratton-as-police-commissioner/) [Charles Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barron/) > [When the purpose of the appointment to ,cohabit with the widow bas been attained in accordance with the law, those two shall behave towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/when-the-purpose-of-the-appointment-to-cohabit-with-the-widow-bas/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Prayer is a specific divine appointment, an ordinance of Heaven, whereby God purposes to carry out His gracious designs on earth and to execute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/prayer-is-a-specific-divine-appointment-an-ordinance-of-heaven/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Not by appointment do we meet Delight And Joy; they heed not our expectancy; But round some corner in the streets of life, They,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/not-by-appointment-do-we-meet-delight-and-joy-they-heed-not-our/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [First, there's the job - where the goal is simply to earn a living and support your family. Then there's the career - where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bella/first-there-s-the-job-where-the-goal-is-simply-to-earn-a-living-and/) [Robert Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bella/) > [I have become convinced that if God stands a child before you, for even just a minute, it is a divine appointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-stafford/i-have-become-convinced-that-if-god-stands-a-child-before-you-for/) [Wess Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-stafford/) > [I have a sense of urgency, of time. I am a woman and am always running between work, doctors' appointments, school meetings, filling up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segolene-royal/i-have-a-sense-of-urgency-of-time-i-am-a-woman-and-am-always-running/) [Segolene Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segolene-royal/) > [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [No senator's vote, except for the declaration of war or the authorization for the use of force, is more important than the confirmation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/no-senator-s-vote-except-for-the-declaration-of-war-or-the/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [The night before, go over your schedule and see what you're going to do and what the purpose of what you're doing is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pozen/the-night-before-go-over-your-schedule-and-see-what-you-re-going-to/) [Robert Pozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pozen/) > [Jesus . . . wants us to see that the neighbor next door or the people sitting next to us on a plane or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-pippert/jesus-wants-us-to-see-that-the-neighbor-next-door-or-the-people/) [Rebecca Pippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-pippert/) > [The muse holds no appointments. You can never call on it. I don't understand people who get up at 9 o'clock in the morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/the-muse-holds-no-appointments-you-can-never-call-on-it-i-don-t/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [People are amazed to realize they can enjoy the moment rather than be stressed by it when hurrying to an appointment. You can enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/people-are-amazed-to-realize-they-can-enjoy-the-moment-rather-than-be/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Browse all 203 Appointments quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appointments/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gene Roddenberry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why-did-we-trouble-to-look-past/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appointments" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why-did-we-trouble-to-look-past/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/gene-roddenberry-8483_appointments_why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why_2168795.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why are we now going into space? Well, why did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime…” — Gene Roddenberry", "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": "Gene Roddenberry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Why are we now going into...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why-did-we-trouble-to-look-past/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/why-are-we-now-going-into-space-well-why-did-we-trouble-to-look-past/#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 } } ] } ```