- I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets.
- This is a day we have managed to avoid for a quarter of a century. [on the loss of seven lives in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, 28 January 1986]
- The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds and to advance the kind of science, math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of space travel.
- [to his wife Annie as he left to become the first American to orbit Earth] I'm going down to the corner to buy some chewing gum.
- [on his historic flight orbiting the earth] The engines started.I could feel them light off as the capsule vibrated from their ignition. And I could hear the roar. While the engines built to their proper thrust, the booster remained on the pad, and then the big hold-down clamps dropped away and I could feel us go. I had always thought that it would seem slow, even smooth, like an elevator rising. Well, it wasn't like that at all. It was a solid and exhilarating surge of up and away.
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