I have a lot of common sense. I know what needs to be done and how to approach it. I have an ability to work with people on large enterprises.

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.

No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.

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

So most astronauts are astronauts for a couple of years before they are assigned to a flight.

The fact that I was going to be the first American woman to go into space carried huge expectations along with it.

It was a real honor for me to get to be the first woman astronaut. I think it's really important that young girls that are growing up today can see that women can be astronauts too. There have actually been a lot of women, who are astronauts, that that's a career that's open to them.