You were a flutist before becoming an astronaut. What role did music play in your childhood, and what drew you to the flute?
I was 10 years old when I started playing the flute. I liked the sound, and I wanted to be in the marching band with my older sister. She played clarinet, my older brother started on saxophone the same year, and later on my younger brother played French horn — so music was very much part of our family. I also wanted an instrument that was easy to carry back and forth to school!.
Do you think studying music helped shape the way you think, learn, or problem-solve later in life?
I see many parallels between playing an instrument in a group and being an astronaut. You have to work on your own skills and be valuable as an individual, but you also have to stay aware of the goals of the group and do your part to help make the entire team the best it can be.
Was there a moment when you first thought, “I could be an astronaut,” or did that dream develop over time?
It was really a combination of things. When I was an undergraduate, NASA selected the first group of women and astronauts of color, so now astronaut was a career that was available whereas it hadn’t been possible before. Later, during graduate school, the Space Shuttle flew for the first time. It was a spacecraft that supported crews of up to 7 people and a wide range of scientific experiments. It was no possible to do experiments that couldn’t be done anywhere on Earth.
While working toward my PhD as a research engineer, I also saw Sally Ride become the first woman in space. She had gone to Stanford, where I was currently studying, and had been a physics major like me. Seeing what was now possible — thanks to many women who had come before me and pushed bounderies — made a big difference.
What advice would you give to young people who feel torn between creative interests and scientific ones?
No one is just one thing — we all have many interests. Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always enjoyed it. I would say don’t feel pressured to make that choice, especially at a young age. You can pursue music while also studying other subjects, taking different courses, summer jobs, or internships.
You don’t know what you’ll enjoy or where it might lead if you don’t try. And later in life, there are often many opportunities to stay involved in music and the arts outside of a full-time career. At Stanford, I played solo recitals and soloed with the Chamber Orchestra; I later performed with the Livermore Symphony.
Space is often described as silent, yet it inspires so much music. How did your experiences in space change the way you think about sound, silence, and listening?
In addition to getting to play my flute in space on my first mission, I always took opportunities to bring music with me into space — cassette tapes at first, then CDs. Today it would probably be a phone or digital playlist. I listened to music while exercising and before sleeping, much like I do on Earth. Astronauts live very much like we do here — just in a different environment.
Your story is now being shared through a children’s book set to music. What does it mean to you to see your journey inspire young audiences in this way?
I’m really excited about it. Several books have been written about me, but this one truly emphasizes the role music has played in my life. It highlights the idea that we are all much more complex than just one interest or career path. This is also the first time a book about me has been set to music, which makes it especially meaningful and exciting.
What still fills you with wonder today when you think about Earth and space?
Seeing photos and videos from astronauts on social media still takes me back. I always think about the Earth as a whole, and about our responsibility to take care of it — for our health, our safety, and our enjoyment of nature.
One of my first missions involved studying Earth’s atmosphere and the ozone layer. Looking at the atmosphere from space, it appeared as a thin line above the planet’s surface. During those experiments, you really understand how important the atmosphere is in protecting life on Earth, as well as the role the ozone layer plays in protecting life from harmful UV radiation. That perspective stays with you. Circling the Earth every hour and a half gives you a powerful and lasting connection to the planet.
If you were curating a concert inspired by space, what kind of music would be on the program?
Definitely The Planets by Gustav Holst, and Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, which many people associate with 2001: A Space Odyssey. I’d also include popular music from Star Trek and Star Wars. John Williams’s music is incredibly memorable — he captured both the emotion of the stories and the wonder of space exploration. I’m a big fan of his work.
Closing Thoughts
Music can truly be part of your entire life. Parents often say that, and it isn’t always believed — but it’s true.
Now that I live in Boise, Idaho, I play in a community band and a flute orchestra. There are so many opportunities to stay involved. When I returned to playing after many years, it immediately took me back to my junior high school band room. I could picture the conductor and hear the things he used to tell us — nearly 50 years later. Music is incredibly powerful.
