That's something that is almost part of being human and I'm certain that will continue.

I can't remember a single time [my parents] ever told me not to do something I wanted to do.

Well, we spend an awful lot of our time working and doing experiments. It's very busy up on the shuttle.

But when I wasn't working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.

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

Everywhere I go I meet girls and boys who want to be astronauts and explore space, or they love the ocean and want to be oceanographers, or they love animals and want to be zoologists, or they love designing things and want to be engineers. I want to see those same stars in their eyes in 10 years and know they are on their way!

Weightless is a great equalizer.