Thomas Marshburn Quotes

I thought the attractions of being an astronaut were actually, not so much the Moon, but flying in a completely new medium.

Now, space has its own unique smell. So whenever a vehicle docks, or if guys are out doing a spacewalk, the smell of space when you open up the hatch is very distinct. It's kind of like a burning-metal smell, if you can imagine what that would smell like.

So most astronauts are astronauts for a couple of years before they are assigned to a flight.

Walking in space is absolutely the most exhilarating part of a mission. The view is just incredible.

Being an astronaut, there are not a lot of things that have really shocked me in my life.

Space has its own unique smell. So whenever a vehicle docks, or if guys are out doing a spacewalk, the smell of space when you open up the hatch is very distinct. It's kind of like a burning-metal smell, if you can imagine what that would smell like.

Anyone that's ever gone to space is always wanting to go back.

After being once in space, I was keen to go back there. But it didn't happen.

Now, as an astronaut, I have to bring a Sharpie with me everywhere - so I have a pen to sign autographs.

I've always been interested in the idea of space exploration. When I was younger it was just a dream, but the theory of rockets being able to travel through space was very much alive. I found it very exciting.

I was only a hero by default. The flights were few and far between. There weren't that many astronauts. The moon flights were so interesting and exciting.

I can't think of anything that's as exciting as I'm sure this mission will be, and actually being in space. But, we did some training as a crew together.

I watched the moon landing as a boy, and I thought that was the most exciting thing ever, going into space, orbiting Earth and exploring other planets. That looked fantastic.

I have wanted to fly into space for many years, but never imagined it would really be feasible.

I don't have to go into outer space to write about an astronaut.

In 2009 I went up on the space shuttle. I was in space for 16 days and docked at the space station for 11 days. The entire crew did five space walks, of which I was involved with three of them. When you're doing a space walk, you always have a buddy with you. It's a very dangerous environment when you're doing a space walk.

Those folks out in the space suits are going to be getting beat up.

A journey into space is the greatest adventure I can imagine.

I slept just floating in the middle of the flight deck, the upper deck of the space shuttle.

I think the astronaut job is the best job in the world. I realized when I was older and started applying for it that it's a pretty cool job.

Being outside during the space walk, the view of the Earth is just spectacular, and getting a chance to do that is just unbelievable, everything about it. You are going around the Earth at 17,500 miles an hour, so you have 45 minutes of sunlight followed by 45 minutes of darkness. You do a lap every 90 minutes.

Having walked on the Moon, I know something about what we need to explore, really explore, in space.

The view from space is really very special. From the window, you can look back at the Earth and see the stars around you. I just hope that more people from Britain get the chance to experience it.

Every day, we get a little bit closer to the kind of expertise and the kind of experience we're going to need to go there. I'd love to be the guy walking on Mars.

The advice I was given was just to make sure you look out of the window occasionally. It's something no astronaut ever gets tired of doing.