Recently I wanted to find a good quote about space ethics. There I hit my first problem, as there wasn't much available, short of going back to primary sources and reading through huge swathes of stuff. In this process I decided that I would also like to use a quote .... by a woman. You won't be surprised to learn that most of the space quotes out there have fallen from the cherry lips of the blokes. I thought, wouldn't it be handy to have what the women said all compiled together in one place?
So I did what any academic worth their salt does: I turned to my online friends and asked them for recommendations. This is the list that ensued. It's just a starting point, but it demonstrates a point. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
1. Dr Peggy Whitson, astronaut and former Commander of the International Space Station, Chief of the Astronaut Office, and Chairperson of the Astronaut Selection Board
I’ve been asked many times what’s the hardest thing about space flight and I say it’s learning the language. When I became Deputy Chief at the Astronaut Office it became very obvious to me that as we were moving into long duration missions, we needed to develop our communication skills and our what we call ‘soft skills’...we were finding we were having more problems in that area than we were in technical competence.
2. Sally Ride, the first US woman in space, in 2003
Studying whether there's life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there's something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge.
The thing that I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I'm sure it was the most fun I'll ever have in my life.Contributed by Susan McMichael @SukiWinter
The stars don't look bigger, but they look brighterContributed by Megann Wilson @MoveBravely
Never be limited by other people’s imagination. Never limit other’s because of your own limited imagination!Contributed by Cameron Mackness @OzTravler
Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.Contributed by Megann Wilson @MoveBravely
4. Dr Anne Condon, medical education adademic
Contributed by Dr Anne Condon @skepticalmutant. I'm not sure if she means space, or space quotes by women, but I'm taking it!
And I just realised that what I love to do is to challenge myself. I didn’t actually find limits. I think they don’t necessarily exist as a solid thing.Contributed by Anne Kreger @AnneKreger
What we want you to ask yourselves is this: what is space, to you? Is it a playground? A quarry? A flagpole? A classroom? A temple? Who do you believe should go, and for what purpose? Or should we go at all?Abridged quote, contributed by Dr Emma Rehn @bluerehn
8. Ellen Ripley, alien fighter
What?
9. Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut
To fly in space is to see the reality of earth, alone. The experience changed my life and my attitude toward life itself. I am one of the lucky ones.
Valentina Tereshkova told me that when she orbited over Australia she thought it “looked a nice place for a holiday”.
Contributed by Margaret Twomey @AusAmbRome
Space is for everybody. It’s not just for a few people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That’s our new frontier out there, and it’s everybody’s business to know about space.
It’s probably not quite what you are after but @AstroSamantha's 'There’s coffee in that nebula' quote is an inspirational woman quoting an inspirational woman about a) space and b) coffee (an inspiration drink)* *well, a fundamental and inspirational drink.
Contributed by @StefantheNurse