As an astronaut, when you're getting ready to go out of that hatch, you know that's the pinnacle of both your career and your life. The view completely blows you away. The real challenge is getting past the excitement and getting focused and down to work.

When we're on the space station, we orbit the Earth 16 times per day, which means we're constantly moving to and away from the sun. From light to shadow, the temperature swings by 300 degrees. Of course we're protected by the gear we wear, but you can definitely feel this temperature change.

You have your real life and then you have your work.

My indie work is mostly reality-based, focused on real life and characters.

The blackness of space was a big shock to me. It is a deep, three-dimensional, oily blackness. You can feel the distance.

He's focused. He gets prepared. When the whistle blows, he's ready. It's hard to not have a down match, but he manages to be up for every match.