A lot of my role is advocacy, and as a scientist, you're an advocate, too, because you are coming up with a theory and having to convince your fellow scientists that you're right.

One of the big things about space exploration is that it is as expensive as it is complicated, and you need all the countries of the world to help if you want to accomplish big goals.

With the mission to Mars, the whole world wants to get involved. So we actually have 13 different space agencies from around the world working on the global exploration road map.

My key aim is to get man on the surface of Mars by the mid-2030s.

I have such a vivid memory of seeing science fiction movies and going to the lobby and playing whatever the space games were, and imagine I was blowing up the Death Star.

You don't have to be famous to have problems on social media. It affects everyone, and it's on there forever, and the things you say when you're 15 are not necessarily what you'd say when you're 25 or 35.

I'm really into my photography and am trying to catch up with digital generation - I was used to the old 35mm cameras.

In the end, the whole Internet thing kills me, because you can use it as a positive thing or you can read into all the negativity. And I think you've gotta put out positive energy, put out cool viral stuff, and then just stay out of people's opinions.