I don't recall any interest in science in particular. It came later in college.

What everyone in the astronaut corps shares in common is not gender or ethnic background, but motivation, perseverance, and desire - the desire to participate in a voyage of discovery.

Astronauts are very professional and when they're preparing for launch, they prepare for it as the most serious endeavor of our lives.

I tell students that the opportunities I had were a result of having a good educational background. Education is what allows you to stand out.

It's fun to work the robotic arm in part because it's really a team effort.

There was a lot of light and a lot of rumbling and vibration, especially the first minute or minute-and-a-half. And then after about two minutes, when the solid rocket boosters separated, the ride got a lot smoother.

That's what we want to do here at Johnson Space Center. I think what we have always brought to NASA and brought to the country is trying to push the boundaries, trying to go to the next level.