GREAT AVIATION QUOTES
JOHN YOUNG

The dream is alive.

John Young

After landing the first Space Shuttle STS-1 at Edwards Dry Lake Bed, 14 April 1981.

This is the world’s greatest all electric flying machine. I’ll tell you that. That was super!

John Young

STS-1 Commander, as the rolled the first Space Shuttle to go into space to a stop on Edwards Dry Lake Bed, 14 April 1981.

There you are, mysterious and unknown Descartes highland plains. Apollo 16 is gonna change your image… .I’m sure glad they got ol' Brer Rabbit here, back in the briar patch where he belongs.

John Young

Commander Apollo 16, upon becoming the ninth man to walk on the Moon.



NASA says the rabbit references come from the Joel Chandler Harris story "How Mr. Rabbit was too sharp for Mr. Fox." On his fourth spaceflight, NASA had finally thrown John Young in the briar patch.

Anyone who sits on top of the largest hydrogen-oxygen fueled system in the world; knowing they’re going to light the bottom — and doesn’t get a little worried — does not fully understand the situation.

John Young

After being asked if he was worried about flying the first Space Shuttle launch. Quoted in the New Mexico Museum of Space History.

You either accept a degree of risk or you don’t do anything. We reckoned to have about a one in two chance of getting back from the Moon at first, but by the time I flew it was about five to one. I think it’s always gonna be high risk. Be worth it, though.

John Young

The only astronaut to fly on four different classes of spacecraft: Gemini, the Apollo command and service module, the Apollo Lunar Module and the Space Shuttle, on the risk of flying to the Moon. Quoted in the 2019 book Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth.