We leave as we came, and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.

We will certainly see teachers, journalists, artists and poets in space. Whatever it takes to the be the best is what it will take to get you into space.

As I take man's last step from the surface, back home for some time to come...I'd like to just (say) what I believe history will record. That America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. As we leave the Moon at Taurus- Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. "Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17."

If you begin to think you're something you're not, you're looking in the wrong mirror.

Yes, I am the last man to have walked on the moon, and that's a very dubious and disappointing honor. It's been far too long.

We don't have the capability today to put a human being in space of any kind, shape or form, which is absolutely, totally unacceptable when we got the greatest flying machine in the world sitting down at Kennedy in a garage there with nothing to do.

It's our destiny to explore. It's our destiny to be a space-faring nation.