Roger, liftoff, and the clock is started.
Alan ShepardRead
It's a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the unsettling realization that safety in high-stakes endeavors can be compromised by cost-cutting measures.
Alan Shepard's quote conveys a profound warning about placing human safety and well-being in the hands of potentially unreliable sources, particularly when financial considerations overshadow quality and reliability. This sentiment is especially poignant in the context of space exploration, where the stakes are unimaginably high, and the consequences of failure can be catastrophic, reminding us that decisions driven solely by budgetary constraints can lead to dire outcomes.
Themes
SafetySpaceGovernmentContractQualityBidPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on space exploration funding, this quote highlights the importance of quality over cost.
More from Alan Shepard
All quotes βWhether you are an astronomer or a life scientist, geophysicist, or a pilot, you've got to be there because you believe you are good in your field, and you can contribute, not because you are going to get a lot of fame or whatever when you get back.
Alan ShepardRead
The excitement really didn't start to build until the trailer - which was carrying me, with a space suit with ventilation and all that sort of stuff - pulled up to the launch pad.
Alan ShepardRead
I think all of us certainly believed the statistics which said that probably 88% chance of mission success and maybe 96% chance of survival. And we were willing to take those odds.
Alan ShepardRead
When I first looked back at the Earth, standing on the Moon I cried
Alan ShepardRead
I think the sense of family and family achievement, plus the discipline which I received there from that one-room school were really very helpful in what I did later on.
Alan ShepardRead
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