Quotes from Shannon Walker

It is incredibly exciting to be able to actually go and live on the space station after having worked so long on seeing the hardware built, getting it launched and maintaining it.

We've got pictures from the Space Station going back 20 years. We can see the glaciers receding in the photography that we do. We can see the effects of lakes drying up and other things that are happening around the planet.

So much of our training focuses so much on the systems and how to operate the station, and not just the day-to-day life in terms of slowing down and enjoying the experience.

To be honest, I haven't really put much thought into the fact that I am the first woman on a commercial vehicle. I expect to be the first of many, and look forward to the day that we don't have to note such events.

Learning how to and being expected to know how to fly an international partner vehicle is quite something, especially having to do it all in Russian.

NASA needs to decide, along with Congress, what our destination is going to be, whether it's going to be the moon, an asteroid or on to Mars. And we're building a heavy-lift vehicle to get us there and building the capsules that's going to be needed to carry the crew.

If you work hard, the things to which you aspire can happen.

Like a lot of kids, I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up. With me, it stuck more than most kids. Ever since I was little, I wanted to do it.

Being in space is amazing - it's the reason we all become astronauts - but you also have to love what you're doing on the ground, since that's how you'll spend most of your time.

I do remember the space program from my earliest memories. It's always been with me and something I wanted to be a part of.