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 space shuttle is a better and safer rocket than it was before the Challenger accident.

My parents must have done a great job. Anytime I wanted to pursue something that they weren't familiar with, that was not part of their lifestyle, they let me go ahead and do it.

On a standard space shuttle crew, two of the astronauts have a test pilot background - the commander and the pilot.

I've spent my whole life not talking to people, and I don't see why I should start now.

The astronauts who came in with me in my astronaut class - my class had 29 men and 6 women - those men were all very used to working with women.

It's no secret that I've been reluctant to use my name for things.