I consider myself to be very fortunate in my career, my timing has worked out.

You know, piloting really isn't my hobby. And, it's probably not something I'd do in my spare time if I could do whatever I wanted to do. But, I'll tell you: if you've got to make a living, it's a great way to make a living!

So, I decided that whatever I was, wanted to do with my life, it would have to do, it would have to have something to do with the exploration and doing new things.

There's been a tremendous amount of work that's been done that you can't see in Columbia.

Well, for me it really wasn't a case of deciding to be an astronaut.

Now, I've never flown in space; but the folks who have say that on landing day, you know, you've just spent maybe a week and a half, sometimes two weeks in orbit and you're used to the things happening slowly in space.

So, we have to get up and get pumped up for each day.