I think we need to move to the moons of Mars and learn how to control robots that are on the surface. It's not the impatient way of getting there, but Mars has been there a long time.
There's no doubt who was a leader in space after the Apollo Program. Nobody came close to us. And our education system, in science, technology, engineering and math, was at the top of the world. It's no longer there. We're descending rather rapidly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the excellence of the U.S. in space leadership and education in STEM fields during the Apollo Program, which has since declined.
Buzz Aldrin reflects on the United States' former glory in space exploration following the Apollo Program, highlighting that the country was the definitive leader in this arena. He expresses concern over the rapid decline of the nation's education system in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), suggesting that this deterioration is detrimental to maintaining leadership and innovation in the future.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for increased funding in education, you might reference Aldrin's quote to illustrate the importance of maintaining excellence in STEM.
More from Buzz Aldrin
All quotes →America can take man to the moon, and America can take men to Mars - and beyond.
A hybrid human-robot mission to investigate an asteroid affords a realistic opportunity to demonstrate new technological capabilities for future deep-space travel and to test spacecraft for long-duration spaceflight.
Landing in the ocean and waiting for the Navy to come alongside and haul you out of the drink is what space capsules require. And after the capsule is recovered, it would take weeks for the ship to return to port.
The biggest benefit of Apollo was the inspiration it gave to a growing generation to get into science and aerospace.
Unfortunately, kids are led to believe things are easier to achieve than they really are.
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