Willy Ley

“It is practically certain that sometime during 1958, either the Russians or we, and most likely both, are going to shoot a rocket to the moon.”

“Just as the water of a river near its mouth, in its final form, is composed largely of many tributaries, so an idea, in its final form, is composed largely of later additions.”

“The dark areas, the 'mare' plains of the moon, are so incredibly smooth that the English astronomer Thomas Gold has suggested that they might really be depressions filled to the brim with dust. A rocket hit would show whether they are that or not.”

“The study of an idea is, of necessity, the story of many things.”

“No one can deny that Russia fired some big rockets and placed satellites into orbit. But there's been a deluge of poppycock about 'miraculous' scientific advances that enabled them to do it. Much of this analysis reflects ignorance about rocketry.”

“Ideas, like large rivers, never have just one source.”