I've discovered that half the people would love to go into space and there's no need to explain it to them. The other half can't understand and I couldn't explain it to them. If someone doesn't know why, I can't explain it.

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

I didn't really decide that I wanted to be an astronaut for sure until the end of college.

I felt very honored, and I knew that people would be watching very closely, and I felt it was very, very important that I do a good job.

For quite some time, women at NASA only had scientific backgrounds.

I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.

When the space shuttle's engines cut off, and you're finally in space, in orbit, weightless... I remember unstrapping from my seat, floating over to the window, and that's when I got my first view of Earth. Just a spectacular view, and a chance to see our planet as a planet.