My odyssey to become an astronaut kind of started in grad school, and I was working, up at MIT, in space robotics-related work; human and robot working together.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
It so happened that my goals kind of matched my career progression toward becoming an astronaut.
I always wanted to be an astronaut.
I cannot join the space program and restart my life as an astronaut, but this opportunity to connect my abilities as an educator with my interests in history and space is a unique opportunity to fulfill my early fantasies.
I've been approached to do some things with astronauts and the preparation that astronauts go through.
I wanted to be a secret agent and an astronaut, preferably at the same time.
But even in elementary school and junior high, I was very interested in space and in the space program.
I worked for some very good people who have helped me along the way and actually enabled me to have the opportunity to be selected to join the Astronaut Corps.
I was a naval officer and aviator. I tested airplanes and got selected to be an astronaut later on.
I progressed through my schooling, undergraduate and graduate degrees, excited about math and science and engineering, but really didn't think about being an astronaut at that point. It was kind of unreachable.
And now for Return to Flight, I'm chief of robotics working in the astronaut office in Houston, as a Canadian.