Each test pilot I know considers him, or herself, now that there are women, to be the very best. It's very demeaning to step down the ladder once in a while

Another real problem was over putting our helmets on for re-entry, because we all had severe head colds. They couldn't come up there and make us. Houston, you have a problem!

Some of the wives didn't keep up with the program. It started breaking apart during the Apollo days.

A little levity is appropriate in a dangerous trade.

I know enough about the moon to know how unpleasant and inhospitable it is. . . . I know enough about Mars to know that you can't live there, you can't settle it. Mars and the moon are two ugly islands. So then, you say, what's the point of going to them? The point is to be able to say I've been there, I've set foot on them, and I can go further to look for beautiful islands.

We spent a lot of time in simulators. We were going to do it right.

I was told having a website would help me. I have yet to figure out why my life story needs to be on the web.