Then during the mission itself, I used the space shuttle's robot arm to release a satellite into orbit.

The thing I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I'm sure it was the most fun that I'll ever have in my life.

I do a lot of running and hiking, and I also collect stamps - space stamps and Olympics stamps.

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.

Our future lies with today's kids and tomorrow's space exploration.

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

For whatever reason, I didn't succumb to the stereotype that science wasn't for girls. I got encouragement from my parents. I never ran into a teacher or a counselor who told me that science was for boys. A lot of my friends did.