--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know enough about the moon to know how…" description: "\"I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is. . . . I know enough about Mars to know that you can't live there, you can't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/wally-schirra-21406_able_i-know-enough-about-the-moon-to-know-how_2636863.jpg" --- # I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and… ![“I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is. . . . I know enough about Mars to know that you can't live there, you can't settle it. Mars and the moon are two ugly islands. So then, you say, what's the point of going to them? The point is to be able to say I've been…” quote by Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/wally-schirra-21406_able_i-know-enough-about-the-moon-to-know-how_2636863.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/wally-schirra-21406_able_i-know-enough-about-the-moon-to-know-how_2636863.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1a/wally-schirra-21406_able_i-know-enough-about-the-moon-to-know-how_2636863.jpg) > “I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is. . . . I know enough about Mars to know that you can't live there, you can't settle it. Mars and the moon are two ugly islands. So then, you say, what's the point of going to them? The point is to be able to say I've been there, I've set foot on them, and I can go further to look for beautiful islands.” [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exploration’s value lies in the journey and future possibilities, not just destination. **In simple terms:** Exploration fuels future discovery. Key Takeaway Seek beyond the known. Themes exploration curiosity future vision Mood inspired adventurous Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - education - innovation - policy planning Key Concepts space travel human ambition Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to explore? - How do you justify costs? A Different Perspective Risk may outweigh perceived benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Islands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islands/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Know Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-mars-2235454/) [Know Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-moon-327135/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Mars Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars-moon-2235455/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Moon Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon-know-392133/) [Settle Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settle-mars-2235453/) [Settling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settling/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Star gazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-gazing/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) ## Related quotes > [Tell me how can I look up at the moon, When I know that moon shines upon you, Through that window in your room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-nozuka/tell-me-how-can-i-look-up-at-the-moon-when-i-know-that-moon-shines/) [Justin Nozuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-nozuka/) > [Tell me how can I look up at the moon when I know that moon shines upon you through that window in your room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-nozuka/tell-me-how-can-i-look-up-at-the-moon-when-i-know-that-moon-shines-2/) [Justin Nozuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-nozuka/) > [I'd love to do something like put a piece of moon rock on Mars and a piece of Mars on the moon, a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-parker/i-d-love-to-do-something-like-put-a-piece-of-moon-rock-on-mars-and-a/) [Cornelia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-parker/) > [People will visit Mars, they will settle mars, and we should because it's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/people-will-visit-mars-they-will-settle-mars-and-we-should-because-it/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [“Yeah, I know, the Mars thing. I've been meaning to talk to you about that. When did you get the idea it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-duane/yeah-i-know-the-mars-thing-i-ve-been-meaning-to-talk-to-you-about/) [Diane Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-duane/) > [I think we know how to do Mars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-think-we-know-how-to-do-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [The Moon is a white strange world, great, white, soft-seeming globe in the night sky, and what she actually communicates to me across space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/the-moon-is-a-white-strange-world-great-white-soft-seeming-globe-in/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [We all know what the moon does to the ocean in the form of tides. Well, we are about 85% salt water; don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-kest/we-all-know-what-the-moon-does-to-the-ocean-in-the-form-of-tides-well/) [Bryan Kest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-kest/) > [“The people on earth thought her to be one of the countless stars, how little did they know—she is the moon of another planet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-pandey/the-people-on-earth-thought-her-to-be-one-of-the-countless-stars-how/) [Richa Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-pandey/) > [“And I know that I am. I am his moon, and his brightly shining star. I am his life, his heart. I am all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-jay/and-i-know-that-i-am-i-am-his-moon-and-his-brightly-shining-star-i-am/) [Stacey Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-jay/) > [“I’m well aware that this—that I—am the first man to ever do this to her. And yes, as a guy, that fact makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/i-m-well-aware-that-this-that-i-am-the-first-man-to-ever-do-this-to/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“I've been doing this with her for on day and I have no idea what's happening. I don't know if it's a full moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-doing-this-with-her-for-on-day-and-i-have-no-idea-what-s/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [I miss you but it always makes me feel better when I look up and see the moon because I know somewhere you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce/i-miss-you-but-it-always-makes-me-feel-better-when-i-look-up-and-see/) [Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce/) > [Feeling weightless... it's so many things together. A feeling of pride, of healthy solitude, of dignified freedom from everything that's dirty, sticky. You feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/feeling-weightless-it-s-so-many-things-together-a-feeling-of-pride-of/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [A little levity is appropriate in a dangerous trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/a-little-levity-is-appropriate-in-a-dangerous-trade/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) ## More by Wally Schirra > [Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/kennedy-had-made-a-mess-in-cuba-at-the-bay-of-pigs-he-had-to-do/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [John Glenn craved the publicity. I think even John would admit that. When he went into politics, that became pretty obvious! He knew how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/john-glenn-craved-the-publicity-i-think-even-john-would-admit-that/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Apollo was a big, unwieldy vehicle. I had a problem with the flight controllers over that. It would try to fare its way like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/apollo-was-a-big-unwieldy-vehicle-i-had-a-problem-with-the-flight/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Some of the wives didn't keep up with the program. It started breaking apart during the Apollo days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/some-of-the-wives-didn-t-keep-up-with-the-program-it-started-breaking/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [I saw the booster, not Sputnik, flying by, and I said, maybe this is the way we should be going, not just sitting back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/i-saw-the-booster-not-sputnik-flying-by-and-i-said-maybe-this-is-the/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [I played English football - soccer - instead of American football, because we couldn't afford the equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/i-played-english-football-soccer-instead-of-american-football-because/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Each test pilot I know considers him, or herself, now that there are women, to be the very best. It's very demeaning to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/each-test-pilot-i-know-considers-him-or-herself-now-that-there-are/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [He who commands an Apollo flight will not command a second one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/he-who-commands-an-apollo-flight-will-not-command-a-second-one/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Levity is the lubricant of a crisis. We resort to jokes, pranks and good natured kidding to relieve tension, stress and boredom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/levity-is-the-lubricant-of-a-crisis-we-resort-to-jokes-pranks-and/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [A little levity is appropriate in a dangerous trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/a-little-levity-is-appropriate-in-a-dangerous-trade/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Another real problem was over putting our helmets on for re-entry, because we all had severe head colds. They couldn't come up there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/another-real-problem-was-over-putting-our-helmets-on-for-re-entry/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [NASA should start thinking about this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/nasa-should-start-thinking-about-this-planet/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [When a test pilot comes off a flight, there is typically another pilot who is going to take it up, and he believes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/when-a-test-pilot-comes-off-a-flight-there-is-typically-another-pilot/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [We spent a lot of time in simulators. We were going to do it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/we-spent-a-lot-of-time-in-simulators-we-were-going-to-do-it-right/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [When a man looks across a street, sees a pretty girl, and waves at her, that's not a rendezvous, that's a passing acquaintance. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/when-a-man-looks-across-a-street-sees-a-pretty-girl-and-waves-at-her/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) [Explore all 29 Wally Schirra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is. . . . I know enough about Mars to know that you can't live there, you can't settle it. Mars and the moon are two ugly islands. So then, you say, what's the point of going to them? 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