Top 15 Wally Schirra Quotes (PROJECT MERCURY)

Top 15 Most Famous Wally Schirra Quotes – One of the Seven Astronauts Chosen for Project Mercury

“I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is… I know enough about Mars to know that you can’t live there, you can’t settle it. Mars and the moon are two ugly islands. So then, you say, what’s the point of going to them? The point is to be able to say I’ve been there, I’ve set foot on them, and I can go further to look for beautiful islands.”
Wally Schirra

You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes. — You don’t raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll turn out to be heroes, even if it’s just in your own eyes.

Kids today don't want to get married. Too many of their friends have been married and divorced already. They just don't believe in it. — Kids today don’t want to get married. Too many of their friends have been married and divorced already. They just don’t believe in it.

I left Earth three times and found no other place to go. Please take care of Spaceship Earth.

Levity is the lubricant of a crisis. We resort to jokes, pranks and good natured kidding to relieve tension, stress and boredom. — Levity is the lubricant of a crisis. We resort to jokes, pranks and good **natured** kidding to relieve tension, stress and boredom.

A little levity is appropriate in a dangerous trade.

“When a man looks across a street, sees a pretty girl, and waves at her, that’s not a rendezvous, that’s a passing acquaintance. When he walks across the street and nibbles on her ear, that’s a rendezvous!’
Wally Schirra

We spent a lot of time in simulators. We were going to do it right.

I don't go along with going to Moon first to build a launch pad to go to Mars. We should go to Mars from Earth orbit. We have already been to the Moon; we've already practiced. — I don’t go along with going to Moon first to build a launch pad to go to Mars. We should go to Mars from Earth orbit. We have already been to the Moon; we’ve already practiced.

Each test pilot I know considers him, or herself, now that there are women, to be the very best. It's very demeaning to step down the ladder once in a while. — Each test pilot I know considers him, or herself, now that there are women, to be the very best. It’s very demeaning to step down the ladder once in a while.

I've always thought space station is a great name. It should be like a gas station where we go for service and supplies before heading further out. — I’ve always thought space station is a great name. It should be like a gas station where we go for service and supplies before heading further out.

When a test pilot comes off a flight, there is typically another pilot who is going to take it up, and he believes in the debriefing. You don't keep something to yourself. — When a test pilot comes off a flight, there is typically another pilot who is going to take it up, and he believes in the debriefing. You don’t keep something to yourself.

When people have asked if I'd like to go in the Shuttle, I said you don't get to fly it, except for landing, which I'd love to do. I wouldn't go unless I could command it. — When people have asked if I’d like to go in the Shuttle, I said you don’t get to fly it, except for landing, which I’d love to do. I wouldn’t go unless I could command it.

Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of going to the Moon was quite a goal.

“Feeling weightless… it’s so many things together. A feeling of pride, of healthy solitude, of dignified freedom from everything that’s dirty, sticky. You feel exquisitely comfortable… and you feel you have so much energy, such an urge to do things, such an ability to do things. And you work well, yes, you think well, without sweat, without difficulty as if the biblical curse in the sweat of thy face and in sorrow no longer exists, As if you’ve been born again.”
Wally Schirra

Wally Schirra Short Biography

Born 12 March 1923, in San Diego, California, United States, Walter Marty “Wally” Schirra, Jr. was an American astronaut and part of the original Mercury Seven.

Schirra graduated in 1945 from the U.S. Naval Academy. And in 1959 became a test pilot.

On October 3, 1962, Schirra piloted Sigma 7 during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission making him the 5th American in space. Schirra’s name will be remembered in history as the first astronaut to travel to space thrice.

Wally Schirra commanded the Apollo 7 flight on October 11, 1968, the first crewed Apollo mission. During this mission, the first television feed was broadcasted on American commercial networks.

He retired from NASA in 1969 and moved on to become a consultant to CBS News.

After his time with NASA and along with a few surviving members of the original Mercury Seven, Schirra established the Mercury Seven Foundation. This foundation raises funds to help provide college scholarships for science and engineering students in need.

He also co-authored; “We Seven”, a biography of the first seven NASA astronauts.

Further Reading:

Wally Schirra, One of Mercury Seven – Press-Telegram
‘I Worked With NASA, Not for NASA’ Interview with Wally Schirra – collectspace.com
The Flight (and Fights) of Apollo 7 – Air & Space

Here are the best Wally Schirra quotes so you can be inspired to work hard and face any challenges with dignity.

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Top 15 Most Famous Wally Schirra Quotes – One of the Seven Astronauts Chosen for Project Mercury

Wally Schirra Short Biography

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