--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier…" description: "\"Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier and we are explorers, not colonisers. The skills of our engineers and the technology surrounding us make things..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/luca-parmitano-49499_engineers_space-is-a-harsh-inhospitable-frontier-a_2910912.png" --- # Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier and we are… ![“Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier and we are explorers, not colonisers. The skills of our engineers and the technology surrounding us make things appear simple when they are not, and perhaps we forget this sometimes. Better not to forget.” quote by Luca Parmitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/luca-parmitano-49499_engineers_space-is-a-harsh-inhospitable-frontier-a_2910912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/luca-parmitano-49499_engineers_space-is-a-harsh-inhospitable-frontier-a_2910912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/luca-parmitano-49499_engineers_space-is-a-harsh-inhospitable-frontier-a_2910912.png) > “Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier and we are explorers, not colonisers. The skills of our engineers and the technology surrounding us make things appear simple when they are not, and perhaps we forget this sometimes. Better not to forget.” [Luca Parmitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-parmitano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He highlights space’s hostile nature, the need for humility, and the importance of remembering complexity despite technological ease. **In simple terms:** Space is tough; engineers must stay humble. Key Takeaway Remember complexity and respect challenges. Themes exploration humility technology Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - mission planning - training - public outreach - technology development Key Concepts riskmanagement engineering humanfactors Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay grounded in complex projects? - What practices keep teams aware of hidden risks? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to underestimating hazards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colonisers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colonisers-4192178/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) [Explorers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explorers/) [Explorers Colonisers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explorers-colonisers-4192176/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Frontiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frontiers/) [Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh/) [Inhospitable Frontier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inhospitable-frontier-4192177/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-harsh-4192175/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [When territories were settled or invaded by force, the colonisers frequently used names of European monarchs, leaders and the military as part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/when-territories-were-settled-or-invaded-by-force-the-colonisers/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [The members of the Atlantean Mystery School were the earliest human explorers of the frontiers of inner space. 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Somehow I had acquired the impression that an explorer was someone who lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goddard/from-early-childhood-i-had-always-dreamed-of-becoming-an-explorer/) [John Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goddard/) > [A man's interest in the world is only the overflow from his interest in himself. When you are a child your vessel is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-s-interest-in-the-world-is-only-the-overflow-from-his-interest/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“no one can absolutely control the direction of his life; but each person can certainly influence it. The armchair explorers who complain that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau-2/no-one-can-absolutely-control-the-direction-of-his-life-but-each/) [Jacques-Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau-2/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands is a potential explorer; in his or her breast burns the same fire that urged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-batten/every-flyer-who-ventures-across-oceans-to-distant-lands-is-a/) [Jean Batten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-batten/) > [I want MIT to be the dream of every child who wants to grow up to make the world a better place. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hockfield/i-want-mit-to-be-the-dream-of-every-child-who-wants-to-grow-up-to/) [Susan Hockfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hockfield/) ## More by Luca Parmitano > [I grew up and I kind of took the road of becoming a pilot, which was another dream I had of flying, and once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-parmitano/i-grew-up-and-i-kind-of-took-the-road-of-becoming-a-pilot-which-was/) [Luca Parmitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-parmitano/) > [My memories of my childhood are wonderful memories. I feel that I was privileged because I grew up in a beautiful city. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-parmitano/my-memories-of-my-childhood-are-wonderful-memories-i-feel-that-i-was/) [Luca Parmitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-parmitano/) > [So one thing that I want to do is to make people realize that astronauts in general are very normal people. 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