--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up expecting to see the first man…" description: "\"“I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon. It never occurred to me that I’d see the last one. We thought there’d be a moon base.”\" — T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/terry-pratchett-19_moon_i-grew-up-expecting-to-see-the-first-man_2759109.jpg" --- # I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon… ![“I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon. It never occurred to me that I’d see the last one. We thought there’d be a moon base.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/terry-pratchett-19_moon_i-grew-up-expecting-to-see-the-first-man_2759109.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/terry-pratchett-19_moon_i-grew-up-expecting-to-see-the-first-man_2759109.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/terry-pratchett-19_moon_i-grew-up-expecting-to-see-the-first-man_2759109.jpg) > ““I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon. It never occurred to me that I’d see the last one. We thought there’d be a moon base.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on the shift from expecting lunar exploration to witnessing its end, highlighting changing expectations. **In simple terms:** He notes the change from moon landing hopes to seeing its conclusion. Key Takeaway Adapt to evolving dreams. Themes science expectation change humor reflection Mood wry thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - public speaking - creative writing Key Concepts space exploration future studies human aspiration Questions to Reflect On - What drives humanity's shifting goals? - How do we cope with unfulfilled expectations? A Different Perspective His humor may downplay the significance of space achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [I think a Moon base is not necessary to get to Mars, but I think it will be helpful. It would give you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duke/i-think-a-moon-base-is-not-necessary-to-get-to-mars-but-i-think-it/) [Charles Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duke/) > [It certainly is possible to construct a moon base in such a way that crews could stay for extended periods of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duke/it-certainly-is-possible-to-construct-a-moon-base-in-such-a-way-that/) [Charles Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duke/) > [If a star fell each time I thought about you then the moon would truly realize how loneliness is really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-star-fell-each-time-i-thought-about-you-then-the-moon-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would love to buy a piece of land in the Moon, just to feel very farsighted, extremely optimistic and absolutely crazy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/i-would-love-to-buy-a-piece-of-land-in-the-moon-just-to-feel-very/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [At a young age, I became interested in space and science after watching the U.S. land on the moon for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-walker/at-a-young-age-i-became-interested-in-space-and-science-after/) [Shannon Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-walker/) > [I don't think there is much value in trying to use the moon as a base to go to Mars. That's going into one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/i-don-t-think-there-is-much-value-in-trying-to-use-the-moon-as-a-base/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [It's very dangerous to put astronauts on a moon base where there's radiation, solar flares and micro meteorites. It'd be much better to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/it-s-very-dangerous-to-put-astronauts-on-a-moon-base-where-there-s/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [It's hard not to be excited when you're going to find a way to land on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bean/it-s-hard-not-to-be-excited-when-you-re-going-to-find-a-way-to-land/) [Alan Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bean/) > [I always believe shooting for the stars, and at the very least, you can land on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-always-believe-shooting-for-the-stars-and-at-the-very-least-you-can/) [Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/) > [My father has a great love of science, and he indoctrinated me into it early. I think I was 12 or so when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/my-father-has-a-great-love-of-science-and-he-indoctrinated-me-into-it/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [Aim for the sky so that when you go down you will land on the moon and will remain on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-james/aim-for-the-sky-so-that-when-you-go-down-you-will-land-on-the-moon/) Mr James > [“Shoot for the stars, land on the moon? Don't worry. You break the atmosphere either way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-vanleeuwen/shoot-for-the-stars-land-on-the-moon-don-t-worry-you-break-the/) [Robert Vanleeuwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-vanleeuwen/) > [We should have stayed on the moon. We should have made moon the base, instead of building space stations, which are fragile and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-should-have-stayed-on-the-moon-we-should-have-made-moon-the-base/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window. I could have lowered my shade to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/and-each-night-in-bed-i-thought-of-her-as-the-moon-came-through-my/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [When I was a child, I always thought that the moon followed me ever where I go LoL!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/when-i-was-a-child-i-always-thought-that-the-moon-followed-me-ever/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## 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? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we can send a guy to the moon we can certainly go a quarter of a mile and not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-prudhomme/if-we-can-send-a-guy-to-the-moon-we-can-certainly-go-a-quarter-of-a/) Don Prudhomme > [Never ignore a person who love you, care fot you,and misses you,because one day,you might wake up and realize, you lost the moon while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chou/never-ignore-a-person-who-love-you-care-fot-you-and-misses-you/) Chou > [There was only the broad square with the scattered dim moons of the street lamps and with the monumental stone arch which receded into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/there-was-only-the-broad-square-with-the-scattered-dim-moons-of-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-sky-was-a-sparkling-succession-of-black-diamonds-on-black-velvet/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) [Browse all 6,418 Moon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon. 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