I Feel Very Privileged. But What I

What Everyone In The Astronaut Corps Shares In Common Is Not Gender Or Ethnic Background, But Motivation, Perseverance, And Desire - The Desire To Participate In A Voyage Of Discovery.

I Was Always Drawn To Teachers Who Made Class Interesting. In High School, I Enjoyed My American And English Literature Classes Because My Teachers, Jeanne Dorsey And Dani Barton, Created An Environment Where Interaction Was Important.

Astronauts Are Very Professional And When They're Preparing For Launch, They Prepare For It As The Most Serious Endeavor Of Our Lives.

I Don't Recall Any Interest In Science In Particular. It Came Later In College.

There Was A Lot Of Light And A Lot Of Rumbling And Vibration, Especially The First Minute Or Minute-and-a-half. And Then After About Two Minutes, When The Solid Rocket Boosters Separated, The Ride Got A Lot Smoother.