--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can…" description: "\"That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like it was yesterday too because it was the culmination of a childhood dream to finally be layin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png" --- # That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like… ![“That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like it was yesterday too because it was the culmination of a childhood dream to finally be laying on the launch pad inside a space shuttle and getting ready to be launched into space. The impression of going into a space shuttle is that it…” quote by Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png) > “That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like it was yesterday too because it was the culmination of a childhood dream to finally be laying on the launch pad inside a space shuttle and getting ready to be launched into space. The impression of going into a space shuttle is that it looks like a brand new simulator. We spend so many hours inside a simulator that everything is very familiar. Every switch, the seats, the way things work, but the vehicle, the actual spacecraft looks brand new because it hasn't been used nearly as much as the simulators.” [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker likens the real shuttle launch to a familiar simulator, highlighting the awe of experiencing a childhood dream in a new, untested vehicle. **In simple terms:** Real launch feels like a familiar simulator but with a fresh, real spacecraft. Key Takeaway Embrace the moment when practice meets reality. Themes dream achievement space exploration Mood proud reflective inspired Type personal motivational When to use this quote - Spaceflight training - first launch - career milestones - public speaking Key Concepts Astronautics psychology of preparation Questions to Reflect On - How does familiarity affect performance under pressure? - What emotions arise when a dream becomes reality? A Different Perspective The excitement may mask underlying technical risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-dreams/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space shuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-shuttle/) ## Related quotes > [The thing I remember most about space is the view from the spacewalk. When I was inside the space shuttle and looking through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-massimino/the-thing-i-remember-most-about-space-is-the-view-from-the-spacewalk/) [Michael J. Massimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-massimino/) > [“She wants a surprise so big and so heavy it could flatten her in the middle of the road. She want a tied-to-a-rocket-and-launched-into-space kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-hanif/she-wants-a-surprise-so-big-and-so-heavy-it-could-flatten-her-in-the/) [Mohammed Hanif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-hanif/) > [If anything, when you're up in space and you're inside a space ship, which is your home, and without which you would not survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-payette/if-anything-when-you-re-up-in-space-and-you-re-inside-a-space-ship/) [Julie Payette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-payette/) > [A day will come when other Israelis will be launched into space in the service of science and progress. For them and for us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/a-day-will-come-when-other-israelis-will-be-launched-into-space-in/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [Even though I knew I was inside the space shuttle getting ready to go fly, something about it wasn't completely real up until we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/even-though-i-knew-i-was-inside-the-space-shuttle-getting-ready-to-go/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [If you think about the energy that a rocket engine has to put out and all the fuel and you're sitting on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-think-about-the-energy-that-a-rocket-engine-has-to-put-out-and/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The Americans are still the leaders in human space flight. I feel we have a danger here of kind of stagnating. We're kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-americans-are-still-the-leaders-in-human-space-flight-i-feel-we/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The United States ended the space shuttle program in 2011, after the ISS was complete. We gave up a national treasure forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-united-states-ended-the-space-shuttle-program-in-2011-after-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When Russians were having troubles, the Space Shuttle supported the Space Station Mir bringing up much needed supplies and replacements, critical spares, really. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/when-russians-were-having-troubles-the-space-shuttle-supported-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When you reach a certain age, you have fulfilled your childhood dream and whatever your first or second adulthood led you to do. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/when-you-reach-a-certain-age-you-have-fulfilled-your-childhood-dream/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I grew up loving cars. It was completely and utterly, without a doubt, my childhood dream. Whether your childhood dream progresses or changes, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cooper/i-grew-up-loving-cars-it-was-completely-and-utterly-without-a-doubt/) [Dominic Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cooper/) > [When you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-do-the-right-thing-good-stuff-has-a-way-of-happening/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [The new album is a childhood dream come true. Got to sing with Ronnie Spector, got to cover a bunch of songs that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-new-album-is-a-childhood-dream-come-true-got-to-sing-with-ronnie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My childhood dream was to win the Olympics, and I've done that. Everything else is icing on the cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-vonn/my-childhood-dream-was-to-win-the-olympics-and-i-ve-done-that/) [Lindsey Vonn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-vonn/) > [While childhood, and while dreams, producing childhood, shall be left, imagination shall not have spread her holy wings totally to fly the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/while-childhood-and-while-dreams-producing-childhood-shall-be-left/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## More by Leroy Chiao > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I'm skeptical of claims that we've been visited by aliens from another planet or other dimension, but I don't rule it out 100 percent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-m-skeptical-of-claims-that-we-ve-been-visited-by-aliens-from/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [On the mission I brought a flag from China, I brought the stone sculpture from Hong Kong, and I brought a scroll from Taiwan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/on-the-mission-i-brought-a-flag-from-china-i-brought-the-stone/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [One day, people will be able to buy tickets to visit space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/one-day-people-will-be-able-to-buy-tickets-to-visit-space/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I think it's good to have competition. Now we have a third country that can launch astronauts, so it's good for all of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-think-it-s-good-to-have-competition-now-we-have-a-third-country/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I remember getting advice like, "Oh, do what interests you. Don't worry about tomorrow, live for today," kind of thing. And to a degree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-remember-getting-advice-like-oh-do-what-interests-you-don-t-worry/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When Russians were having troubles, the Space Shuttle supported the Space Station Mir bringing up much needed supplies and replacements, critical spares, really. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/when-russians-were-having-troubles-the-space-shuttle-supported-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Tinkering is something we need to know how to do in order to keep something like the space station running. I am a tinkerer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/tinkering-is-something-we-need-to-know-how-to-do-in-order-to-keep/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [We were trying to do as much science as we could because that was the main purpose of the international space station. But without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/we-were-trying-to-do-as-much-science-as-we-could-because-that-was-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The space station mission was kind of the culmination of all of my experience of being a NASA Astronaut, so it had brought all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-space-station-mission-was-kind-of-the-culmination-of-all-of-my/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The expense of getting into space is the rocket launch, the rocket itself. Rocket's right now, commercial rockets cost probably somewhere between $50, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-expense-of-getting-into-space-is-the-rocket-launch-the-rocket/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [If we're not able to launch our own people and operate our own spacecraft anymore then, you know, space - whether it should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-we-re-not-able-to-launch-our-own-people-and-operate-our-own/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When I was at NASA, I had a house on a small private airstrip that we shared between the flying community. I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/when-i-was-at-nasa-i-had-a-house-on-a-small-private-airstrip-that-we/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Donald Trump's administration is floating a proposal to return to the moon - and to shut down the International Space Station to help pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/donald-trump-s-administration-is-floating-a-proposal-to-return-to-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Because we didn't cooperate with China, we gave them motivation to develop their own capability. You know, they developed a very capable rocket system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/because-we-didn-t-cooperate-with-china-we-gave-them-motivation-to/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) [Explore all 95 Leroy Chiao quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like it was yesterday too because it was the culmination of a childhood dream to finally be laying on the launch pad inside a space shuttle and getting ready to be launched into space. The impression of going into a space shuttle is that it looks like a brand new simulator. We spend so many hours inside a simulator that everything is very familiar. Every switch, the seats, the way things work, but the vehicle, the actual spacecraft looks brand new because it hasn't been used nearly as much as the simulators.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leroy Chiao" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-remember-that-like-it-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Childhood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-remember-that-like-it-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/leroy-chiao-7059_childhood_that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-rem_1256782.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That was in 1994, July, 1994, and I can remember that like it was yesterday too because it was the…” — Leroy Chiao", "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": "Leroy Chiao", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That was in 1994, July, 1994,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-remember-that-like-it-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/that-was-in-1994-july-1994-and-i-can-remember-that-like-it-was/#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 } } ] } ```