Charles Duke

Notable Quotes



The Moon was the most spectacularly beautiful desert you could ever imagine. Unspoilt. Untouched. It had a vibrancy about it and the contrast between it and the black sky was so vivid, it just made this impression of excitement and wonder.

From Charles Duke

I always respected Neil Armstrong highly. He was probably the coolest under pressure of anyone I ever had the privilege of flying with. I never saw him flustered.

From Charles Duke

My walk on the moon lasted three days. My walk with God will last forever.

From Charles Duke

Two months after I got out of test pilot school, I saw an advert that said NASA was recruiting more astronauts. The best job you could have as a test pilot was being an astronaut, so I volunteered.

From Charles Duke

Buzz Aldrin doesn't think we need to go back to the Moon - that we should go straight on to Mars. I'm more on the side that says we should go back to the Moon. I think there's a lot we can utilise the Moon for scientifically.

From Charles Duke

I think the future of lunar bases has to be somewhere around the South or North Pole. You have less variation in temperature and more daylight hours.

From Charles Duke

It certainly is possible to construct a moon base in such a way that crews could stay for extended periods of time.

From Charles Duke

The only time I had what you would call life-threatening fear was when I was on the Moon. Towards the end of our stay, we got excited and we were going to do the high jump, and I jumped and fell over backwards. That was a scary time, because if the backpack got broken, I would have had it. But everything held together.

From Charles Duke

I think a Moon base is not necessary to get to Mars, but I think it will be helpful. It would give you a chance to develop and mature some systems; long duration, deep space stuff; and you're close enough to get some help, via radio from Earth.

From Charles Duke

Of course, mankind would not have landed on the Moon in 1969, were it not for two things: conquered Nazi rocket technology and post-war anti-Communist paranoia in the United States.

From Charles Duke

Authors with Similar Views

Buzz Aldrin

16 perspectives

Jim Lovell

7 perspectives

Edgar Mitchell

4 perspectives

Bart Gordon

2 perspectives

Bill Nye

2 perspectives

Authors with Opposing Views

Laurie Anderson

2 perspectives

Bradley Wiggins

1 perspectives

Burt Rutan

1 perspectives

Craig T. Nelson

1 perspectives

David Mackay

1 perspectives