Top 25 John Glenn Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind – every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.”

— John Glenn

Featured in: Mind Quotes, Hilarious Quotes, Space Quotes, Funny Tuesday Quotes

2. “I suppose the one quality in an astronaut more powerful than any other is curiosity. They have to get some place nobody’s ever been.”

— John Glenn

Featured in: Quality Quotes, Powerful Quotes, Curiosity Quotes, Space Quotes

3. “The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds and to advance the kind of science, math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of space travel.”

— John Glenn

Featured in: Inspirational Quotes for Students, Space Quotes, Technology Quotes, Travel Quotes, Math Quotes

4. “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people I’ve known are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self interest.”

— John Glenn

5. “Zero G and I feel fine.”

— John Glenn

6. “We have an infinite amount to learn both from nature and from each other.”

— John Glenn

7. “To sit back and let fate play its hand out and never influence it is not the way man was meant to operate.”

— John Glenn

8. “The moment of twilight is simply beautiful.”

— John Glenn

9. “By its very definition, civic responsibility means taking a healthy role in the life of one’s community. That means that classroom lessons should be complemented by work outside the classroom. Service-learning does just that, tying community service to academic learning.”

— John Glenn

10. “Too many people, when they get old, think that they have to live by the calendar.”

— John Glenn

11. “I don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets.”

— John Glenn

12. “We are more fulfilled when we are involved in something bigger than ourselves.”

— John Glenn

13. “Just because I’m 77 doesn’t mean I don’t have a dream.”

— John Glenn

14. “There are times when you devote yourself to a higher cause than personal safety.”

— John Glenn

15. “There is still no cure for the common birthday.”

— John Glenn

16. “You know, old folks can have dreams, too, as well as young folks, and then work toward them. And to have a dream like this come true for me is just a terrific experience.”

— John Glenn

17. “I am a stranger. I come in peace. Take me to your leader and there will be a massive reward for you in eternity.”

— John Glenn

18. “To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible.”

— John Glenn

19. “To get your name well enough known that you can run for a public office, some people do it by being great lawyers or philanthropists or business people or work their way up the political ladder. I happened to become known from a different route.”

— John Glenn

20. “I think a mentor gets a lot of satisfaction in a couple of ways. They’re doing something constructive, so they feel good about that. And when they see the results of this, with the young people they’re working with, it’s very, very rewarding.”

— John Glenn

21. “When others kid me about being bald, I simply tell them that the way I figure it, the good Lord only gave men so many hormones, and if others want to waste theirs on growing hair, that’s up to them.”

— John Glenn

22. “That was a real fireball.”

— John Glenn

23. “I was sold on flying as soon as I had a taste for it.”

— John Glenn

24. “This is a day we have managed to avoid for a quarter of a century. We’ve talked about it before and speculated about it, and it finally has occurred. We hoped we could push this day back forever.”

— John Glenn

25. “Love is a combination of friendship, passion, and respect.”

— John Glenn

26. “Fear connotes something that interferes with what you’re doing.”

— John Glenn