Remember, nobody changes the world on their own.

I wasn’t destined to be an astronaut. I had to turn myself into one.

By looking at the difference between perceived danger and actual danger, you can fundamentally change your reaction.

My favourite city for nightlife is Toronto, as it has such a multicultural feel, with so many different restaurants and theatres.

The Nile, draining out into the Mediterranean. The bright lights of Cairo announce the opening of the north-flowing river’s delta, with Jerusalem’s answering high beams to the northeast. This 4,258 mile braid of human life, first navigated end-to-end in 2004, is visible in a single glance from space.

In my experience, fear comes from not knowing what to expect and not feeling you have any control over what’s about to happen. When you feel helpless, you’re far more afraid than you would be if you knew the facts.

Our three big emergencies are fire, loss of pressurization or contaminated atmosphere. Any of those things in a spaceship are very deadly and time critical. Everybody's trained, but I'm the commander of the ship, and it's up to me to decide.