# First Words on Mars **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2001, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385 "2001-05-04T20:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/61 "2025-12-21T18:07:45Z")
_“That’s one small step for a woman…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnwcowan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnwcowan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnwcowan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/62 "2025-12-31T21:13:00Z")
I was thinking “That’s one small step for me, one giant leap for us all.” In whatever language, or maybe several. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/63 "2025-12-31T21:32:08Z")
It looks like my driveway. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/64 "2025-12-31T21:55:13Z")
Will a burst of static at the wrong time completely wipe out the meaning? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/65 "2025-12-31T22:01:15Z")
Seeing this thread again reminded me of the alt-text from the xkcd strip _[Opportunity](https://xkcd.com/1504/)._ > We all remember those famous first words spoken by an astronaut on the surface of Mars: “That’s one small step fo- HOLY SHIT LOOK OUT IT’S GOT SOME KIND OF DRILL! Get back to the … [unintelligible] … [signal lost]” ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/66 "2025-12-31T22:27:51Z")
~~Houston~~ Taiyuan, the door is stuck. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/67 "2026-01-01T00:40:24Z")
“We did bring the potatoes, right? Just in case.” > [@markn\_1](#): > > “Out of detent. Auto.” Well, yes, technically the first thing spoken will be a checklist readback. Then they’ll do the proper arrival announcement. And make the first social media post. And then some time later someone will have to do the step-off statement all the while thinking “ok, remember, _enunciate clearly_ .” > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Taiyuan, the door is stuck That _would_ be awkward, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Moris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moris/32/2846_2.png) [@Moris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moris)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385/68 "2026-01-08T17:34:58Z")
How about some Frederik Pohl/Walter M. Miller Jr. angle? Pater noster, qui es in Caelis, sanctificetur nomen Tuum. Adveniat regnum Tuum, fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in Caelo et in Terra. Et in Marte. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-words-on-mars/64385.md?page=3)