Father, we thank you, especially for letting me fly this flight - for the privilege of being able to be in this position, to be in this wondrous place, seeing all these many startling, wonderful things that you have created.
Gordon CooperI know other astronauts share my feelings.... And we know the government is sitting on hard evidence of UFOs.
Gordon CooperInformation on UFOs, including sighting reports, has been and is still being officially withheld.
Gordon CooperA saucer flew right over (us), put down three landing gears, and landed out on the dry lakebed. (The cameramen) went out there with their cameras toward the UFO.... I had chance to hold (the film) up to the window. Good close-up shots. There was no doubt in my mind that it was made someplace other than on this earth.
Gordon CooperI did have an occasion in 1951 to have two days of observation of many flights of them, they were of different sizes, flying in fighter formation, generally from east to west over Europe.
Gordon CooperI live for that exhilarating moment when I'm in an airplane rushing down the runway and pull on the stick and feel lift under its wings. It's a magical feeling to climb toward the heavens, seeing objects and people on the ground grow smaller and more insignificant. You have left that world beneath you. You are inside the sky.
Gordon Cooper