--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Funding for the original manned Voyager…" description: "\"Funding for the original manned Voyager Mars Program was scratched in 1968, before humans had gotten out of Low Earth Orbit. Mid-'60s plans for a Venus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/p-j-o-rourke-184_actually_funding-for-the-original-manned-voyager_1606267.png" --- # Funding for the original manned Voyager Mars Program was… ![“Funding for the original manned Voyager Mars Program was scratched in 1968, before humans had gotten out of Low Earth Orbit. Mid-'60s plans for a Venus fly-by with astronauts actually flying by it met the same fate.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/p-j-o-rourke-184_actually_funding-for-the-original-manned-voyager_1606267.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/p-j-o-rourke-184_actually_funding-for-the-original-manned-voyager_1606267.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/p-j-o-rourke-184_actually_funding-for-the-original-manned-voyager_1606267.png) > “Funding for the original manned Voyager Mars Program was scratched in 1968, before humans had gotten out of Low Earth Orbit. Mid-'60s plans for a Venus fly-by with astronauts actually flying by it met the same fate.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early ambitious space missions were canceled due to technical and budgetary limits before achieving orbit. **In simple terms:** Big space plans were cut before they could launch. Key Takeaway Recognize limits when planning large projects. Themes space exploration budget constraints political will technology Mood cautious analytical Type historical commentary When to use this quote - government funding - private sector initiatives - international cooperation Key Concepts risk assessment project management Questions to Reflect On - Why do governments cancel big projects? - What can preserve visionary goals? A Different Perspective Optimism can overlook practical challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Astronauts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronauts/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flying/) [Funding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funding/) [Gotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gotten/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/low/) [Manned Voyager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manned-voyager-6117066/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Mars Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars-program-6104395/) [Met](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/met/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Orbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orbit/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Scratched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scratched/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Venus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venus/) [Voyager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyager/) [Voyager Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyager-mars-6117065/) ## Related quotes > [Governments spending billions on a humans-to-Mars program won't allow wild-eyed billionaires to steal the glory; all heck will break loose as the public and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-tumlinson/governments-spending-billions-on-a-humans-to-mars-program-won-t-allow/) [Rick Tumlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-tumlinson/) > [You make my heart skip a beat like a scratched CD :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-make-my-heart-skip-a-beat-like-a-scratched-cd/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’d have scratched her eyes out and sucked the holes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marston/i-d-have-scratched-her-eyes-out-and-sucked-the-holes/) [John Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marston/) > [“I shot him an unimpressed look. “Do you really think you’ll win me over by having sex with me?” He scratched at the side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/i-shot-him-an-unimpressed-look-do-you-really-think-you-ll-win-me-over/) [karina halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“the chickens scratched,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-mierke/the-chickens-scratched/) [Sharon Mierke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-mierke/) > [I haven't scratched the surface of what I can become offensively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-gobert/i-haven-t-scratched-the-surface-of-what-i-can-become-offensively/) [Rudy Gobert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-gobert/) > [India is a country with huge potential, and it remains an attractive high priority market for PepsiCo. 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I was working the speed bag, and some steel went in the eye and scratched it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/my-left-eye-went-when-i-was-young-i-was-working-the-speed-bag-and/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [Those who'll play with cats must expect to be scratched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/those-who-ll-play-with-cats-must-expect-to-be-scratched/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. 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