Leroy Chiao

“In order to do anything worthwhile, one must take calculated risks.”

“The most interesting thing was looking out the window and taking photographs of different places on Earth.”

“After earning my university degrees and working for a few years, I wrote to NASA to request an application package. Seven months later, after I applied, I received a call inviting me to Houston to interview. That itself was thrilling; it meant that I was one of the 100 or so who would be interviewed, chosen from several thousand applicants.”

“Of course, you'll have to meet the physical and psychological demands. A space walk takes a lot of energy.”

“Studying engineering was natural for me; I was always interested in technology and building things.”

“Donald Trump's administration is floating a proposal to return to the moon - and to shut down the International Space Station to help pay for it. The first part of this idea is good. The second is horrible.”

“I'm Chinese-American, of course, and so it's very interesting to see China actually launch their own astronauts, becoming the third nation, following the United States and Russia, to do so.”

“An eclipse is one phenomenon that is actually more impressive from the ground.”

“I got my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering.”

“One of my challenges was to try to photograph the Great Wall of China. And I did actually take some photos, but it was hard to discern the wall with the naked eye.”

“Tinkering is something we need to know how to do in order to keep something like the space station running. I am a tinkerer by nature.”

“I don't think anyone flies into space without some form of fundamental introspection about what life is about.”

“The United States ended the space shuttle program in 2011, after the ISS was complete. We gave up a national treasure forever.”

“Did I think about the risks? Of course I did. Anyone who says otherwise is not being completely honest. The amount of energy it takes to bring a spacecraft to orbital speed, and the forces it endures on re-entry, makes risk impossible to avoid.”

“When I was at NASA, I had a house on a small private airstrip that we shared between the flying community. I had a hangar in my backyard with my airplane in it so I could just fly from my home.”

“I think there's all kinds of life out there, including intelligent life, but the reason we haven't found each other is because of vast distances.”

“I spent a lot of my time working in the American module, and he would stay in the Russian segment working on his things, and we'd meet up at meal times. So it actually worked out very well.”

“I always say getting my bachelor's was the single hardest thing I've done in my life. Once I got to university, I was working harder than I ever had before and, for the first time in my life, I was getting bad grades. It was demoralising.”

“Well, it's still a bit uncertain, but I will do the consulting, and I'll see how I can contribute. But I'm sure whatever I do will involve the space program. That's where my passion is.”

“I remember taking a space walk on the ISS. There I was, wrench in hand, tightening bolts on a new module. It was such a mundane task. But when I looked in one direction, there was Earth floating in vivid blues and greens. In the other direction, I could see the blackest black conceivable, punctured by unwavering pinpoints of starshine.”