I think it's important for little girls growing up, and young women, to have one in every walk of life. So from that point of view, I'm proud to be a role model!

There are lots of opportunities out there for women to work in these fields, ... Girls just need support, encouragement and mentoring to follow through with the sciences.

The rockets light! The shuttle leaps off the launch pad in a cloud of steam and a trail of fire.

You know, I go around the country a lot.

I have been a bit of a risk-taker all my life.

On both of my flights, everything went very well.

Studying whether there's life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there's something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. That's something that is almost part of being human, and I'm certain that will continue.