--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the things that we can say with…" description: "\"One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger materials, and this will reduce the cost of air flig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg" --- # One of the things that we can say with confidence is that… ![“One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger materials, and this will reduce the cost of air flight, and it will reduce the cost of rockets.” quote by Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg) > “One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger materials, and this will reduce the cost of air flight, and it will reduce the cost of rockets.” [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advances in material science will produce lighter, stronger components, lowering costs for aviation and space travel. **In simple terms:** Better materials will make flights and rockets cheaper. Key Takeaway Invest in material innovation to reduce transport costs. Themes technology materials cost reduction aviation space Mood optimistic analytical Type technical forecasting When to use this quote - airline industry - rocket design - budget constraints Key Concepts advanced composites engineering breakthroughs Questions to Reflect On - Which material advances could impact your field? - How do cost reductions change industry dynamics? A Different Perspective Material breakthroughs may face manufacturing challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Rockets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rockets/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger materials, and this will reduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-confidence-is-that-we-will-2/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [You reduce the cost of labs if you buy for here in Atlanta not trying to staff five other labs, ... There's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-turner/you-reduce-the-cost-of-labs-if-you-buy-for-here-in-atlanta-not-trying/) [John Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-turner/) > [3D printing will massively reduce the cost of certain products as the cost of labor is removed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/3d-printing-will-massively-reduce-the-cost-of-certain-products-as-the/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [We know that Congress must find ways to reduce the cost of health insurance, including premiums and out-of-pocket costs, as well as to lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/we-know-that-congress-must-find-ways-to-reduce-the-cost-of-health/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Changes like the telephone and telegraphy, which tend to reduce the cost of organizing spatially, will tend to increase the size of the firm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-coase/changes-like-the-telephone-and-telegraphy-which-tend-to-reduce-the/) [Ronald Coase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-coase/) > [The best way to reduce the cost of medical care is to reduce the illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/the-best-way-to-reduce-the-cost-of-medical-care-is-to-reduce-the/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Cost is more important than quality but quality is the best way to reduce cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genichi-taguchi/cost-is-more-important-than-quality-but-quality-is-the-best-way-to/) Genichi Taguchi > [International alliances reduce the cost of developing cars significantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-marchionne/international-alliances-reduce-the-cost-of-developing-cars/) [Sergio Marchionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-marchionne/) > [There are some people who seem to think that the way you reduce the cost of living in this country is for the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/there-are-some-people-who-seem-to-think-that-the-way-you-reduce-the/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [You've got to move us to these technologies that allow us to get to the clean-energy source. If we can't work to reduce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-murkowski/you-ve-got-to-move-us-to-these-technologies-that-allow-us-to-get-to/) [Lisa Murkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-murkowski/) > [“Free and cheap helps.” So does making the entire process as easy and seamless as possible. The more you reduce the cost of consumption,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/free-and-cheap-helps-so-does-making-the-entire-process-as-easy-and/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [My plan will also help reduce the cost of child care by allowing parents to fully deduct the average cost of child care spending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-plan-will-also-help-reduce-the-cost-of-child-care-by-allowing/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [This world o' God's is brighter Than we ever dream or know; Its burdens growin' lighter- An' it's Love that makes 'em so! An'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lebby-stanton/this-world-o-god-s-is-brighter-than-we-ever-dream-or-know-its-burdens/) [Frank Lebby Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lebby-stanton/) > [After my final Breaking Dawn scene, I felt like I could shoot up into the night sky and every pore of my body would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/after-my-final-breaking-dawn-scene-i-felt-like-i-could-shoot-up-into/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) ## More by Ralph Merkle > [The laws of physics should allow us to arrange things molecule by molecule and even atom by atom, and at some point it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/the-laws-of-physics-should-allow-us-to-arrange-things-molecule-by/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [If you look at the various strategies available for dealing with a new technology, sticking your head in the sand is not the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/if-you-look-at-the-various-strategies-available-for-dealing-with-a/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Because of technological limits, there is a certain amount of food that we can produce per acre. If we were to have intensive greenhouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/because-of-technological-limits-there-is-a-certain-amount-of-food/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [One of the concepts essential to molecular manufacturing is that of a self-replicating manufacturing system. That concept has lagged behind in its acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-concepts-essential-to-molecular-manufacturing-is-that-of-a/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [One of the issues facing us today is that there are countries where there is a serious lack of resources, the standards of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-issues-facing-us-today-is-that-there-are-countries-where/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Food is available, but it cannot be shipped into an area, so the people in that area suffer the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/food-is-available-but-it-cannot-be-shipped-into-an-area-so-the-people/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Lighter computers and lighter sensors would let you have more function in a given weight, which is very important if you are launching things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/lighter-computers-and-lighter-sensors-would-let-you-have-more/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [We are looking at a future where to a first approximation, everyone is wealthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/we-are-looking-at-a-future-where-to-a-first-approximation-everyone-is/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [If you look at the human condition today, not everyone is well fed, has access to good medical care, or the physical basics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/if-you-look-at-the-human-condition-today-not-everyone-is-well-fed-has/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Nanotechnology will let us build computers that are incredibly powerful. We'll have more power in the volume of a sugar cube than exists in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/nanotechnology-will-let-us-build-computers-that-are-incredibly/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [If we attempt to block the development of new technology, we effectively have ensured that the most responsible parties will not develop them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/if-we-attempt-to-block-the-development-of-new-technology-we/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [A molecular manufacturing technology will let us build molecular surgical tools, and those tools will, for the first time, let us directly address the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/a-molecular-manufacturing-technology-will-let-us-build-molecular/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Manufacturing takes place in very large facilities. If you want to build a computer chip, you need a giant semiconductor fabrication facility. But nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/manufacturing-takes-place-in-very-large-facilities-if-you-want-to/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [If we can reduce the cost and improve the quality of medical technology through advances in nanotechnology, we can more widely address the medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/if-we-can-reduce-the-cost-and-improve-the-quality-of-medical/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [What we refer to as 'death' is just a set of symptoms that have proven resistant to treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/what-we-refer-to-as-death-is-just-a-set-of-symptoms-that-have-proven/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) [Explore all 33 Ralph Merkle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [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/) > [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger materials, and this will reduce the cost of air flight, and it will reduce the cost of rockets.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Merkle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-confidence-is-that-we-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Air" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-confidence-is-that-we-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/ralph-merkle-18971_air_one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-c_163769.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the things that we can say with confidence is that we will have much lighter, much stronger…” — Ralph Merkle", "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": "Ralph Merkle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the things that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-confidence-is-that-we-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-things-that-we-can-say-with-confidence-is-that-we-will/#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 } } ] } ```