Even though NASA tries to simulate launch, and we practice in simulators, it's not the same - it's not even close to the same.

I slept just floating in the middle of the flight deck, the upper deck of the space shuttle.

All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary.

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

I was always very interested in science, and I knew that for me, science was a better long-term career than tennis.

The pressure suit helps if something goes wrong during launch or re-entry - astronauts have a way to parachute off the shuttle. The suits protect you from loss of pressure in case of emergency.

It's too bad our society isn't further along.