During that space walk there will be some repositioning of the power so that the arm can be fully controlled by the robotic station that is in the Lab.

I was, I remember, I still remember when the first time I pointed the telescope at the sky and I saw Saturn with the rings. It was a beautiful image.

Also we will be carrying food and clothes for the Expedition Two crew. And as well as spare parts for the EVA that will be conducted from the station in the following months.

And so, I will be probably, since I am not involved in all the activity, I will have some spare time to devote to document all this busy part of the flight.

And then my chance really happened in 1996 when we added the second flight of the tether satellite.

And since Italy was involved in the space station as well as signed an agreement with NASA. And when the possibility to enter the 1996 Mission Specialist class.

For the first time in history all the major countries in the world are pushing together to reach this goal... building something in space that is really for all humankind.

At that point, there will be the handover between the shuttle arm and the station arm so that the shuttle arm will take the cradle and put it into the cargo bay.

And then I graduate two years later, in 1998, with my class. And, since then I've been here in Houston for training basically. And I was very happy to be assigned to this mission.

I remember; I was 15 years old when Neil Armstrong put feet in the moon.

But, what we need to get out of the first EVA is to have the arm completely unfolded and powered so that they can keep the temperature under control. That will really the call of the first EVA.

The blame game is already a lost game, so don't attempt dressing up to play it!

If you don't look for Trouble, how can you know it's there?

None meet life honestly and few heroically.

Thy modesty 's a candle to thy merit.

The irony of Christmas is always upon the poor in heart; the mystery of the solstice is always upon the rest of us.

As long as I am thinking, I am alive.

Everything you do either adds to the beauty of the world or takes away from it.

Let each one of us not waste electricity at home. By doing this, we will also light a lamp in the home of a poor.

I feel good. At this point, the only thing I'm trying to do is accumulate at-bats and get my work in, and so far that's what I'm doing.

Men trust their eyes rather than their ears; the road by precept is long and tedious, by example short and effectual.