--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we went to the moon and realized…" description: "\"When we went to the moon and realized that the Soviet Union had no realistic plans of getting to the moon, then we stopped going to the moon.\" — Neil d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_moon_when-we-went-to-the-moon-and-realized-th_3024259.png" --- # When we went to the moon and realized that the Soviet… ![“When we went to the moon and realized that the Soviet Union had no realistic plans of getting to the moon, then we stopped going to the moon.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_moon_when-we-went-to-the-moon-and-realized-th_3024259.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_moon_when-we-went-to-the-moon-and-realized-th_3024259.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_moon_when-we-went-to-the-moon-and-realized-th_3024259.png) > “When we went to the moon and realized that the Soviet Union had no realistic plans of getting to the moon, then we stopped going to the moon.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Soviet lack of lunar ambition led the US to cease moon missions, showing geopolitics drive exploration. **In simple terms:** Politics shape space goals. Key Takeaway Consider political context in science. Themes space politics exploration history policy Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - NASA planning - international collaborations - science policy Key Concepts geopolitical competition budget priorities scientific ambition Questions to Reflect On - How do politics influence scientific agendas? - What can sustain exploration beyond competition? A Different Perspective Science isn’t purely rational. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) ## Related quotes > [NASA was invented as a response to Cold War steps. There are those who presumed that we went to the moon because we're explorers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/nasa-was-invented-as-a-response-to-cold-war-steps-there-are-those-who/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [When I was younger, humans went to the moon when I was about 4 years old, and I imagined that as I got older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-feustel/when-i-was-younger-humans-went-to-the-moon-when-i-was-about-4-years/) Andrew J. Feustel > [It was not until we saw the picture of the earth, from the moon, that we realized how small and how helpless this planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/it-was-not-until-we-saw-the-picture-of-the-earth-from-the-moon-that/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“The sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Joshua 10:13”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/the-sun-stood-still-and-the-moon-stopped-until-the-nation-took/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Let us not fool ourselves into thinking we went to the Moon because we are pioneers, or discoverers, or adventurers. We went to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/let-us-not-fool-ourselves-into-thinking-we-went-to-the-moon-because/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We went to the moon and discovered Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-went-to-the-moon-and-discovered-earth/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [That I even get to play a sold-out show where people know the words and I'm singing about things I'm connected to is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grammer/that-i-even-get-to-play-a-sold-out-show-where-people-know-the-words/) [Andy Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grammer/) > [I work in celestial mechanics, but I am not interested in getting to the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marston-morse/i-work-in-celestial-mechanics-but-i-am-not-interested-in-getting-to/) Marston Morse > [Kids today learn a lot about getting to the moon, but very little about getting to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/kids-today-learn-a-lot-about-getting-to-the-moon-but-very-little/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [I'm tired of people telling me what I can, and can't do. 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I think the visual scene was described by my words on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-expected-the-unexpected-and-went-on-the-moon-with-an-open-mind-i/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I wanted to fly the Millennium Falcon; I wanted to save the girl. In real life, you can't do all of that: NASA's budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-faison/i-wanted-to-fly-the-millennium-falcon-i-wanted-to-save-the-girl-in/) [Donald Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-faison/) > [I find myself now preaching about the golden age of manned spaceflight, because something went on there, within us, that we’re missing. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/i-find-myself-now-preaching-about-the-golden-age-of-manned/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. 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People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If you seek only easy problems to solve, then ultimately, there'll be nothing about you to distinguish yourself from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-you-seek-only-easy-problems-to-solve-then-ultimately-there-ll-be/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. 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It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. Look at how much we all spend just to get - well, I get sick on the loop-the-loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/everybody-s-got-money-for-vacation-time-look-at-how-much-we-all-spend/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Explore all 1,143 Neil deGrasse Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More Moon quotes > [“Because as the moon followed the sun, when Illium ascended to become an archangel, Aodhan would go with him as his second.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/because-as-the-moon-followed-the-sun-when-illium-ascended-to-become/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [The moon of a bright silver, which dazzles by its shining, illumines a world which surely is no longer ours; for it resembles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/the-moon-of-a-bright-silver-which-dazzles-by-its-shining-illumines-a/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [I loved you to the moon and back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-loved-you-to-the-moon-and-back/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > ['The Choirboys' is very much a product of its mid-1970s time, especially in its two-dimensional portrayals of cop groupies Ora Lee and Carolina Moon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/the-choirboys-is-very-much-a-product-of-its-mid-1970s-time-especially/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) Sylviek > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? 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