All indications are that three and a half billion years ago, Mars looked like Earth. It had lakes. It had rivers. It had river deltas. It had snow-capped peaks and puffy clouds and blue sky. Three and a half billion years ago, it was a happening place. The same time on Earth, that’s when life started. So did life start on Mars? John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
There’s a perspective that I’ve gained as an astronaut that I didn’t get from my science activities. In my science activities, I learned by the seat of my pants. Spending 17 years as an astronaut, I learned the NASA formalism of systems engineering as if my life depended on it. Literally. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
All space exploration is risky. As an astronaut, I had to decide each and every time I went to space whether or not to risk my life for the mission. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
When I grew up as a kid, we didn’t know there were any other planets outside of our own solar system. It was widely speculated that planet formation was an incredibly rare event and that it’s possible that other planets just don’t exist in our galaxy, and it’s just this special situation where we happen to have planets around our sun. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
Here on Earth, we’re exposed to asteroids hitting the Earth, eventual changes in the Sun, changes in the Earth’s climate, things we’re doing to the Earth’s climate. If we want to survive, we need to become a multi-planet species. That’s further down the road, but the first wave is going to be the explorers. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
Here we were, the only seven humans in space, repairing a telescope whose only purpose is to enrich the minds of people on planet Earth and increase our understanding of the workings of the universe. I can think of no better peaceful use of space for all humankind. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
What we do at NASA is inspiring. It’s reaching, it’s visionary, and it inspires people on Earth to try hard things. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
Science at NASA is all about exploring the endless frontier of the Earth and space. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
Asteroid detection, tracking, and defense of our planet is something that NASA, its interagency partners, and the global community take very seriously. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
Our journey in going beyond our home planet is a human endeavor, and in the greatest tradition of exploration, past, present, and future spacefarers will continue to be enduring catalysts for inspiration in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe. John M. Grunsfeld Read Quote
