Who Said It: Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin?
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"[Prior to the Apollo missions,] no one knew what kind of person could be persuaded to take the trip. Prisoners were suggested. Soldiers could be ordered. Photographers could take pictures -- and they're expendables. Doctors understood the limits of human physiology. Finally, both sides picked pilots."
ANSWER: July 21, 2009. Receiving his Congressional Gold Medal. July 21, 2009. Receiving his Congressional Gold Medal.
ANSWER:
2 of 11
"There could be life on other planets. But intelligent life? There's a big difference."
ANSWER: January 2003. Interview with Mike Sager of Esquire. Aldrin began by stating, "Carl Sagan said that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is no extraordinary evidence supporting claims of UFOs. There's got to be more than somebody saying they saw something." He then concluded with the statement above. January 2003. Interview with Mike Sager of Esquire. Aldrin began by stating, "Carl Sagan said that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is no extraordinary evidence supporting claims of UFOs. There's got to be more than somebody saying they saw something." He then concluded with the statement above.
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"I'm quite certain that we'll have such [lunar] bases in our lifetime, somewhat like the Antarctic stations and similar scientific outposts, continually manned."
4 of 11
"Some question why Americans should go to the Moon. 'After all,' they say, 'we have already been there.' I find that mystifying."
ANSWER: May 2010. Testimony before the House Science and Technology Committee. Armstrong continued: "It would be as if 16th century monarchs proclaimed that we 'need not go to the New World, we have already been there.' Or as if President Thomas Jefferson announced in 1803 that Americans 'need not go west of the Mississippi, the Lewis and Clark Expedition has already been there.'" Armstrong reiterated the point when he quoted himself in a December 2010 letter to Robert Krulwich. May 2010. Testimony before the House Science and Technology Committee. Armstrong continued: "It would be as if 16th century monarchs proclaimed that we 'need not go to the New World, we have already been there.' Or as if President Thomas Jefferson announced in 1803 that Americans 'need not go west of the Mississippi, the Lewis and Clark Expedition has already been there.'" Armstrong reiterated the point when he quoted himself in a December 2010 letter to Robert Krulwich.
5 of 11
"I don't believe in barriers because I always break them."
ANSWER: 2010. 30 Rock, "The Moms." Yes, this was on a TV show, but Aldrin was playing himself, so we think it counts. Liz Lemon enters Aldrin's apartment saying, "Excuse me, Doctor Aldrin? I'm sorry. There wasn't a door so I just..." and Aldrin interjects with the above statement about barriers. 2010. 30 Rock, "The Moms." Yes, this was on a TV show, but Aldrin was playing himself, so we think it counts. Liz Lemon enters Aldrin's apartment saying, "Excuse me, Doctor Aldrin? I'm sorry. There wasn't a door so I just..." and Aldrin interjects with the above statement about barriers.
6 of 11
"I'm being relegated to playing the hero, and everyone wants a piece of me."
ANSWER: In his autobiography Magnificent Desolation, Aldrin discussed feeling exploited upon his return from the Moon: "Since I returned from the moon, I had felt taken advantage of, exploited as people wanted to use my fame for their own purposes. From then on, any time that I felt the 'system' was taking unfair advantage of me and my fame... to deal with those growing resentments, I turned increasingly to alcohol. The demons in my mind tossed up questions such as: What did I get for serving my country all these years. I'm being relegated to playing the hero, and everyone wants a piece of me. But will they listen to my ideas? Will they value what I can offer for the future?" In his autobiography Magnificent Desolation, Aldrin discussed feeling exploited upon his return from the Moon: "Since I returned from the moon, I had felt taken advantage of, exploited as people wanted to use my fame for their own purposes. From then on, any time that I felt the 'system' was taking unfair advantage of me and my fame... to deal with those growing resentments, I turned increasingly to alcohol. The demons in my mind tossed up questions such as: What did I get for serving my country all these years. I'm being relegated to playing the hero, and everyone wants a piece of me. But will they listen to my ideas? Will they value what I can offer for the future?"
7 of 11
"Pilots generally take pride in a good landing, not in getting out of the vehicle."
ANSWER: Armstrong was quoted in the 2007 book In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 discussing his famous moonwalk -- "Pilots take no special joy in walking: pilots like flying. Pilots generally take pride in a good landing, not in getting out of the vehicle." Armstrong was quoted in the 2007 book In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 discussing his famous moonwalk -- "Pilots take no special joy in walking: pilots like flying. Pilots generally take pride in a good landing, not in getting out of the vehicle."
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"Beautiful, beautiful. Magnificent desolation."
ANSWER: July 20, 1969. Aldrin's first words on the moon. Years later, he published an autobiography, with Ken Abraham, entitled Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon. July 20, 1969. Aldrin's first words on the moon. Years later, he published an autobiography, with Ken Abraham, entitled Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon.
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"...I told my wife that I'd just as soon be on a later flight because I didn't want all the press and all the attention for the rest of my life for being on the first landing."
ANSWER: June 25, 2010. Interview with Eric Spitznagel of Vanity Fair entitled "Buzz Aldrin is Not All That Impressed with Walking on the Moon." Aldrin continued, "Because that's all the press seems to care about. 'Who was first? Who was on the first landing?' Nobody ever asks who was the seventh person on the Moon." June 25, 2010. Interview with Eric Spitznagel of Vanity Fair entitled "Buzz Aldrin is Not All That Impressed with Walking on the Moon." Aldrin continued, "Because that's all the press seems to care about. 'Who was first? Who was on the first landing?' Nobody ever asks who was the seventh person on the Moon."
10 of 11
"I was an outsider. I was the egghead from academia who got in because the rules had changed. While I looked for validation from my fellow contemporaries, I instead found jealousy and envy."
ANSWER: May 1, 2001. Interview with Robert Epstein in Psychology Today entitled "Buzz Aldrin: Down to Earth." Aldrin was discussing the challenges he faced upon their return to Earth, including a whirlwind world tour and returning to the Air Force. May 1, 2001. Interview with Robert Epstein in Psychology Today entitled "Buzz Aldrin: Down to Earth." Aldrin was discussing the challenges he faced upon their return to Earth, including a whirlwind world tour and returning to the Air Force.
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To the Moon: "I own you! ...I walked on your face!"
ANSWER: 2010. 30 Rock, "The Moms." This was another quip from 30 Rock, but since he did play himself, we think it counts -- and it's too good to leave out! After revealing to Liz Lemon that he's not the perfect man and astronaut she thought he was, Aldrin says, "I'm sorry if I've disappointed you. Would you like to yell at the moon with Buzz Aldrin?" The two then proceed to berate the visible-in-daylight moon. 2010. 30 Rock, "The Moms." This was another quip from 30 Rock, but since he did play himself, we think it counts -- and it's too good to leave out! After revealing to Liz Lemon that he's not the perfect man and astronaut she thought he was, Aldrin says, "I'm sorry if I've disappointed you. Would you like to yell at the moon with Buzz Aldrin?" The two then proceed to berate the visible-in-daylight moon.
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