NASA needs to focus on the things that are really important and that we do not know how to do. The agency is a pioneering force, and that is where its competitive advantage lies.

I think the American Dream used to be achieving one's goals in your field of choice-and from that all other things would follow. Now, I think the dream has morphed into the pursuit of money: Accumulate enough of it, and the rest will follow. We've become more materialistic. For balance, I think we need to get back to idealism and patriotism, but also be realistic with our monetary goals.

Somebody would think I was trying to get favored treatment because my ancestors had the name Moon. And that's a joke.

In Mars, we've been given a wonderful set of moons where we can send continuous numbers of people.

We can't start over and develop a Saturn 5-type vehicle from scratch.

The life expectancy of people going to Mars may be decreased by the higher level of radiation that they receive.

Timing has always been a key element in my life. I have been blessed to have been in the right place at the right time.