Then During The Mission Itself, I Used

I Never Went Into Physics Or The Astronaut Corps To Become A Role Model. But After My First Flight, It Became Clear To Me That I Was One. And I Began To Understand The Importance Of That To People. Young Girls Need To See Role Models In Whatever Careers They May Choose, Just So They Can Picture Themselves Doing Those Jobs Someday. You Can't Be What You Can't See.

You Know, I Go Around The Country A Lot.

The Most Anxious Time Was During Launch, Just Because That Is So Dramatic.

Once You Are Assigned To A Flight, The Whole Crew Is Assigned At The Same Time, And Then That Crew Trains Together For A Whole Year To Prepare For That Flight.

So Most Astronauts Are Astronauts For A Couple Of Years Before They Are Assigned To A Flight.