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People Tend To Think Astronauts Have The Courage Of A Superhero - Or Maybe The Emotional Range Of A Robot. But In Order To Stay Calm In A High-stress, High-stakes Situation, All You Really Need Is Knowledge. Sure, You Might Still Feel A Little Nervous Or Stressed Or Hyper-alert. But What You Won't Feel Is Terrified.

-Chris Hadfield

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People Tend To Think

Chris Hadfield

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People Tend To Think Astronauts Have The Courage Of A Superhero - Or Maybe The Emotional Range Of A Robot. But In Order To Stay Calm In A High-stress, High-stakes Situation, All You Really Need Is Knowledge. Sure, You Might Still Feel A Little Nervous Or Stressed Or Hyper-alert. But What You Won't Feel Is Terrified.

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The Rough And Ready Improvisational Quality To Life On Board The International Space Station Is Reminiscent Of A Long Trip In A Sailboat: Privacy And Fresh Produce Are In Short Supply, Hygiene Is Basic, And A Fair Amount Of The Crew's Time Is Spent Just On Maintaining And Repairing The Craft.

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Every Single Day You're The Result Of What You Did On The Days Prior.

I Wasn’t Destined To Be An Astronaut. I Had To Turn Myself Into One.

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Again And Again

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Irrational Fear

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Still, I Also Know That Most People, Including Me, Tend To Applaud The Wrong Things: The Showy, Dramatic Record-setting Sprint Rather Than The Years Of Dogged Preparation Or The Unwavering Grace Displayed During A String Of Losses. Applause, Then, Never Bore Much Relation To The Reality Of My Life As An Astronaut, Which Was Not All About, Or Even Mostly About, Flying Around In Space.

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