In a series of interviews with Associated Press Television, Reuters and Idaho Public Television, astronauts Barbara Morgan and Alvin Drew answered questions about living and working in space and about whether they are worried about the return to Earth in a spacecraft with a 3-inch divot in the thermal tile.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVIEWS:
"If children are asking questions like that, I think we have a bright future," said Drew, who was asked how fast a person could swim in space, if a pool could be built.
"Go experiment. Go explore. Let us know what you find out," said Morgan, explaining how 10 million basil seeds will be distributed to classrooms after the mission.
"It really seems like its been like yesterday," said Morgan, who has waited 21 years to get to space. "The last 20 years have been a lot of fun. The work up here is very rewarding."
Asked about the divot in Endeavor's thermal tiles, Morgan replied: "The word we are getting is that it's more of an issue of orbiter reuse not our personal safety." She added, "Once we don't have the shuttle any more (after the program ends in 2010), I think it is something we'll look back at with great nostalgia and really miss it."
"The ride was amazing," said Drew, describing the launch. "It was like being inside a washing machine on a bad spin cycle. We were headed off the planet. I really felt like there was something heavy standing on my chest. Suddenly we went from three Gs to nothing. I wanted to find a quarter and put it in there and go for another ride."
"The first emotion is one of a sense of responsibility," said Morgan. "And I hope I'm doing a good job by my colleagues."
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