--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time I went into space was just…" description: "\"The first time I went into space was just so much more than you could imagine or prepare yourself for.\" — Peggy Whitson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg" --- # The first time I went into space was just so much more… ![“The first time I went into space was just so much more than you could imagine or prepare yourself for.” quote by Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg) > “The first time I went into space was just so much more than you could imagine or prepare yourself for.” [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Space travel exceeds expectations, confronting the unknown beyond preparation. **In simple terms:** Space feels beyond what you can prepare for. Key Takeaway Embrace the unknown and stay adaptable. Themes exploration humility wonder Mood awe inspired reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - space missions - personal growth - training programs - risk assessment Key Concepts psychology of awe human limits preparedness Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare mentally for the unknown? - What does awe teach us about our limits? A Different Perspective Even with training, the emotional impact can be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I had pretty much done it all before I went into space. So when the opportunity came, I went along. It was that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-sharma/i-had-pretty-much-done-it-all-before-i-went-into-space-so-when-the/) [Rakesh Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-sharma/) > [My first mission was six and a half months. We weren't exactly sure how long it was going to be because I went up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunita-williams/my-first-mission-was-six-and-a-half-months-we-weren-t-exactly-sure/) [Sunita Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunita-williams/) > [Every person who went into the space industry did so because they looked up at the sky and were fascinated by it - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/every-person-who-went-into-the-space-industry-did-so-because-they/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [In 2009 I went up on the space shuttle. I was in space for 16 days and docked at the space station for 11…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-marshburn/in-2009-i-went-up-on-the-space-shuttle-i-was-in-space-for-16-days-and/) [Thomas Marshburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-marshburn/) > [There were about six years when there was not one American who went into space. We shouldn't do that again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/there-were-about-six-years-when-there-was-not-one-american-who-went/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [Just because you can't see or imagine a good reason why God might allow something to happen doesn't mean there can't be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/just-because-you-can-t-see-or-imagine-a-good-reason-why-god-might/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ It \[space\] was just so incredibly adventurous and exciting to me. I just thought there was no doubt in my mind that is what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-husband/it-space-was-just-so-incredibly-adventurous-and-exciting-to-me-i-just/) Rick Husband > [Space is certainly something more complicated than the average person would probably realize. Space is not just an empty background in which things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-guth/space-is-certainly-something-more-complicated-than-the-average-person/) [Alan Guth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-guth/) > [If we want to go to space with humans, that's for fun not for science. Human adventures in space are just sporting events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/if-we-want-to-go-to-space-with-humans-that-s-for-fun-not-for-science/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [You don't go into space just for the science. Economically, it is not worth it. I think the reason we should be in space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/you-don-t-go-into-space-just-for-the-science-economically-it-is-not/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [Space is not just going up and coming back down again. Space is getting into orbit and being there, living there, establishing a presence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/space-is-not-just-going-up-and-coming-back-down-again-space-is/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I think you really have to know what you want if you want to be an artist. Otherwise, you just kind of end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-nesbitt/i-think-you-really-have-to-know-what-you-want-if-you-want-to-be-an/) [Nina Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-nesbitt/) > [Sex in space is not just a good idea, it's survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/sex-in-space-is-not-just-a-good-idea-it-s-survival/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [And just as music is the space between notes, just as the stars are beautiful because of the space between them, just as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-just-as-music-is-the-space-between-notes-just-as-the-stars-are/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) ## More by Peggy Whitson > [I think the biggest advice that I could give people is to actually try and live beyond your dreams by pushing yourself, challenging yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-think-the-biggest-advice-that-i-could-give-people-is-to-actually/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [After floating for nine and a half months in space, gravity is not your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/after-floating-for-nine-and-a-half-months-in-space-gravity-is-not/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [Breaking records has never been my goal. I think it's important that we're continually pushing our limits and showing that we can extend beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/breaking-records-has-never-been-my-goal-i-think-it-s-important-that/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [My work ethic is, I think, from my farm life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/my-work-ethic-is-i-think-from-my-farm-life/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [Find your passion. Because with that passion, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/find-your-passion-because-with-that-passion-you-can-do-anything/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [Zero gravity is such an alien environment - completely different from everything we've grown up with every single day of our lives. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/zero-gravity-is-such-an-alien-environment-completely-different-from/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [In terms of goals for NASA before I die, we need to be living on Mars. And I might not live that long, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/in-terms-of-goals-for-nasa-before-i-die-we-need-to-be-living-on-mars/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [I don't sing in the shower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-don-t-sing-in-the-shower/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [The advice I give young people is that you have to pursue something, and you have to have fun along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/the-advice-i-give-young-people-is-that-you-have-to-pursue-something/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [My parents are the hardest-working people I ever knew: they always worked every day, all day; they had to come up with the solutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/my-parents-are-the-hardest-working-people-i-ever-knew-they-always/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [I do think space hotels are probably in our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-do-think-space-hotels-are-probably-in-our-future/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [On my first flight, I don't know if maybe it's a function of time, or if I was less stressed on my second flight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/on-my-first-flight-i-don-t-know-if-maybe-it-s-a-function-of-time-or/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [Even if my job for the day is cleaning the vents or fixing the toilet, it still feels good to be a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/even-if-my-job-for-the-day-is-cleaning-the-vents-or-fixing-the-toilet/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [You see billions and billions of stars and recognize that you know some of those have planets, too, and maybe there's life out there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/you-see-billions-and-billions-of-stars-and-recognize-that-you-know/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [I like to say I'm determined; some people would call it stubborn. It depends on your perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-like-to-say-i-m-determined-some-people-would-call-it-stubborn-it/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) [Explore all 64 Peggy Whitson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. 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And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/or-maybe-your-magic-isn-t-that-destructive-after-all-the-rain-of/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I don't know why, but everybody thinks that I'm short. When they see me for the first time, women are always surprised to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-don-t-know-why-but-everybody-thinks-that-i-m-short-when-they-see-me/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. Its presence was heavy, like an old coat I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/i-met-suffering-on-a-quiet-road-just-as-the-sun-was-setting-behind-me/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) Browse all 9,309 First time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first time I went into space was just so much more than you could imagine or prepare yourself for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peggy Whitson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-just-so-much-more-than-you-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-just-so-much-more-than-you-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/peggy-whitson-10575_first-time_the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-jus_653394.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first time I went into space was just so much more than you could imagine or prepare yourself for.” — Peggy Whitson", "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": "Peggy Whitson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first time I went into...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-just-so-much-more-than-you-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/the-first-time-i-went-into-space-was-just-so-much-more-than-you-could/#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 } } ] } ```