Some of the senior people, the very senior astronauts, shook my hand and said, 'K.C., you did a great job. Don't let anyone tell you different.'

I enjoy playing other people. It's a great job and it's challenging. I couldn't do a desk job.

We gazed dreamily at the Milky Way and once in a while caught some shooting stars. Times like those gave me the opportunity to wonder and ask all those very basic questions. That sense of awe for the heavens started there.

It is a very overpowering realization that the Earth is so small. It affected me.

I've always been very determined. I don't get easily discouraged.

We do a very good job at fixing broken bodies but not such a great job at healing broken minds with our returning veterans.