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.

One day, people will be able to buy tickets to visit space.

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.

I think it's good to have competition. Now we have a third country that can launch astronauts, so it's good for all of us. It makes us a little bit more competitive and wanting to be the leader.

I hope that China will continue with space exploration. It would be logical to have international co-operation. I hope that it will come about and that I can be involved in it.

I loved flying as much as I thought I would and continue to fly aircraft.

As commander I was responsible for the overall success of the mission, and so I had to know at least a little bit about everything.

Space is very unforgiving business

My running ambition is to keep doing it until I'm way past the point where I have any business running. Just to keep doing it throughout my whole life—to stay fit and feel good.

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

Let nothing human be considered sacred. Let nothing human be considered divine.

Your past karma is what you found difficult or challenging in this life. To heal your past karma you would need to learn your life lessons for this life.

Love is not like Ice, that melts but the foundation of Respect, Love and Care

I like a man who can respect a woman. When he's real attentive, I think that is very manly. To respect a woman is divine.

As I stood outside in Cow Lane, it occurred to me that Heaven must be a place where the library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No ... eight days a week.

I call myself a liberal - a classical liberal as in John Stuart Mill.

Men may boast of their great actions; but they are more often the effects of chance than of design.

We have become a sloppy bunch of people. We say things we don’t mean. We make promises we don’t keep.

Do not make homes out of people. This will leave you homesick and sad.

As the senior commander in Vietnam, I was aware of the potency of public opinion - and I worried about it.