JULIE PAYETTE

We have fans that circulate air in the cabin of the module of the space shuttle. They're running all the time. They're absolutely necessary because, otherwise, you will breathe your own CO2 and intoxicate yourself quite fast.

I'm 9, 10, and I'm watching the Apollo astronauts go to the moon. We're sitting on the floor of a school, and they have this... huge TV, and I'm looking at that, and I'm thinking 'Me, I would like to do that.' But it didn't dawn on me then that they were American; I was Canadian. They were men; I was a girl. They were test pilots, military folks.

I am definitely a little more nervous for my colleagues when I'm working at mission control than I am myself on the shuttle.

It reassures me that when we get together as a community, when we put our effort together and our will to help others, we can achieve anything, and that is a lesson for us all.

I am very fortunate - I grew up with music.

When I saw the Earth from above, personally, as a spacecraft operator, it certainly reinforced and drove home the fact that there's one place where we can live right now.

When I became an astronaut, I was an engineer.

I'm still convinced that - I'm sorry to say - the body of evidence shows that the planet is warming up. And it's warming up at a certain rate that has never been seen before in the history of the planet. We have to take that seriously.

A lot of people, I think, would love to see the earth from above, wear a spacesuit. Certainly, when I was a kid, I wanted to wear a spacesuit.

My dad, who likes genealogy, knows who was the first guy that came from France in 1655, and the guy settled in Montreal, and Montreal is an island where the city is in Quebec.

Whatever your interests or abilities, I encourage you stay active during the holiday season.

If you're in space on the way to Mars, and a conflict develops... you can't turn around and go back, because Earth is already gone on its orbit.

What's really important is to recognize when people do great things or when people pursue an initiative or show enormous generosity or heart or bravery.

In a modern and innovative society, where advancements are plentiful and communication is instantaneous, science and technology are a part of everyday life.

Trust science, believe that innovation and discoveries are good for us, and make decisions based on data and evidence.

I am convinced that anyone can accomplish anything.

Science is fun, and it's fundamental.

Most astronauts are very down-to-earth people. Many of us, three-quarters, have an engineering degree, and we have a very Cartesian, rational approach to things.

I'm a true believer in the strength of teamwork, in the power of dreams, and in the absolute necessity of a support structure.

It is one planet and we all have a duty to protect it. We have to work together. We have to use our power to work together and make decisions and changes that are needed to preserve our world.

I really feel like, on my first mission, the first mission is when you prove yourself and hopefully deserve the privilege to continue as an astronaut and remain in the corps and get granted an opportunity for a second mission.

Every event, whether they're positive or negative, shapes us. And sometimes, events happen that we couldn't even fathom.

We're all on-board the same planetary spaceship, but together, we can move mountains.

With our brains and our smarts and our altruistic capability, we can do a lot of good.

If you want more kids to become engineers in space, travellers, and pilots, then you have to expose them to those types of careers.