--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to move off the planet. And Mars…" description: "\"We need to move off the planet. And Mars is the next best place.\" — John M. Grunsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/john-m-grunsfeld-8114_best_we-need-to-move-off-the-planet-and-mars_582189.jpg" --- # We need to move off the planet. And Mars is the next best… ![“We need to move off the planet. And Mars is the next best place.” quote by John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/john-m-grunsfeld-8114_best_we-need-to-move-off-the-planet-and-mars_582189.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/john-m-grunsfeld-8114_best_we-need-to-move-off-the-planet-and-mars_582189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/john-m-grunsfeld-8114_best_we-need-to-move-off-the-planet-and-mars_582189.jpg) > “We need to move off the planet. And Mars is the next best place.” [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human survival depends on expanding beyond Earth; Mars offers the most viable next step. **In simple terms:** We must leave Earth; Mars is the next best option. Key Takeaway Invest in space exploration now. Themes exploration future risk technology Mood optimistic determined Type inspirational visionary When to use this quote - NASA planning - private spaceflight - educational outreach - policy advocacy Key Concepts space colonization planetary science sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What would motivate societies to fund interplanetary travel? - How can we balance Earth stewardship with space expansion? A Different Perspective Challenges include massive cost, technical hurdles, and political will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [Mars would seem, to me, to be the best place to focus our collective effort as a species... I think people would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/mars-would-seem-to-me-to-be-the-best-place-to-focus-our-collective/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [The planet Mars - crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms - has long formed a celestial tabula rasa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filling-our-telescopes-with-vague/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [There's a very real argument that the minute we are capable of going to a planet, whether it's Mars or another one, and inhabiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/there-s-a-very-real-argument-that-the-minute-we-are-capable-of-going/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [I don't write novels about expeditions to the planet Mars because I haven't been there and I don't know anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-don-t-write-novels-about-expeditions-to-the-planet-mars-because-i/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [We are living as if we had three planets' worth of resources to live with rather than just one. We need to cut by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/we-are-living-as-if-we-had-three-planets-worth-of-resources-to-live/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [The planet is fine. The people are f\*\*\*\*d. Because everyone is trying to save the planet. The planet doesn’t need that. The planet will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-planet-is-fine-the-people-are-f-d-because-everyone-is-trying-to/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The planet Mars -- crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms -- has long formed a celestial tabula rasa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filling-our-telescopes-with-vague-2/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [There is no light in earth or heaven but the cold light of stars; and the first watch of night is given to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/there-is-no-light-in-earth-or-heaven-but-the-cold-light-of-stars-and/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“The planet Mars, I scarcely need remind the reader, revolves about the sun at a mean distance of 140,000,000 miles, and the light and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-planet-mars-i-scarcely-need-remind-the-reader-revolves-about-the/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [To our knowledge, life exists on only one planet, Earth. If something bad happens, it's gone. I think we should establish life on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/to-our-knowledge-life-exists-on-only-one-planet-earth-if-something/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [This is a living planet. Look around. Mars, Venus, Jupiter. Look beyond our solar system. Where else is there a place that works, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/this-is-a-living-planet-look-around-mars-venus-jupiter-look-beyond/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [That planet has a considerable but moderate atmosphere. So that the inhabitants probably enjoy a situation in many respects similar to ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/that-planet-has-a-considerable-but-moderate-atmosphere-so-that-the/) [William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/) > [People should decide 'are you willing to spend all this money to go to Mars?' I think the average person on the ground would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-baumgartner/people-should-decide-are-you-willing-to-spend-all-this-money-to-go-to/) [Felix Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-baumgartner/) > [Going to Mars would make NASA great again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/going-to-mars-would-make-nasa-great-again/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) > [I'm absolutely compelled for NASA to send international astronauts to Mars to find out if Mars ever harbored life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/i-m-absolutely-compelled-for-nasa-to-send-international-astronauts-to/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) ## More by John M. Grunsfeld > [I'm absolutely compelled for NASA to send international astronauts to Mars to find out if Mars ever harbored life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/i-m-absolutely-compelled-for-nasa-to-send-international-astronauts-to/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) > [Sciences are being unified by the search for life in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/sciences-are-being-unified-by-the-search-for-life-in-the-universe/) [John M. 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