I really hate to be put in the position of trying to justify something, a decision that was made. I'm a military guy: when a decision is made, I go along with it, whatever the manufactured controversy and criticism.

Is the destiny of the human species to sit back and play with our mouse and computer and imagine, fantasize?

When we can demonstrate that we can take off horizontally and put something into orbit, then we can begin to talk about increasing the amount of payload. But to say, 'I'm going to do that and put people into orbit' is a real leap.

Climate has been changing for billions of years.

To appropriately respond to an emergency requires a very clear mind, to cooly analyze what the observations are and how to fix it.

Mars could very well be a staging location for the resources of the asteroid belt. We have to learn how to get a payback somewhere, but it's beyond Mars that the real payoff will come from minerals.

You can tell I'm not too bashful about some of my feelings.