This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.

The important achievement of Apollo was demonstrating that humanity is not forever chained to this planet and our visions go rather further than that and our opportunities are unlimited.

I think we're going to the moon because it's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It's by the nature of his deep inner soul... we're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.

I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work.

NASA has been one of the most successful public investments in motivating students to do well and achieve all they can achieve. It's sad that we are turning the programme in a direction where it will reduce the amount of motivation and stimulation it provides to young people.

It's a brilliant surface in that sunlight. The horizon seems quite close to you because the curvature is so much more pronounced than here on earth. It's an interesting place to be. I recommend it.

Yeah, I wasn't chosen to be first. I was just chosen to command that flight. Circumstance put me in that particular role. That wasn't planned by anyone.

Geologists have a saying - rocks remember.

In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand.

I can honestly say - and it's a big surprise to me - that I have never had a dream about being on the moon.

I believe that every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don't intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises.

Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand.

Research is creating new knowledge.

That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed.

Well, I think we tried very hard not to be overconfident, because when you get overconfident, that's when something snaps up and bites you.

I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don't intend to waste any of mine.

Pilots take no special joy in walking. Pilots like flying.

All in all, for someone who was immersed in, fascinated by, and dedicated to flight, I was disappointed by the wrinkle in history that had brought me along one generation late. I had missed all the great times and adventures in flight.

I put up my thumb and it blotted out the planet Earth.

Science has not yet mastered prophecy. We predict too much for the next year and yet far too little for the next 10.

I am, and ever will be, a white socks, pocket protector, nerdy engineer.

Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.

As a boy, because I was born and raised in Ohio, about 60 miles north of Dayton, the legends of the Wrights have been in my memories as long as I can remember.