NASA has been one of the most successful public investments in motivating students to do well and achieve all they can achieve. It's sad that we are turning the programme in a direction where it will reduce the amount of motivation and stimulation it provides to young people.

For the most ambitious young people, the corporate ladder is obsolete.

Most young people have tremendous respect for older people's views.

I'm substantially concerned about the policy directions of the space agency. We have a situation in the U.S. where the White House and Congress are at odds over what the future direction should be. They're sort of playing a game and NASA is the shuttlecock that they're hitting back and forth.

I have long been impressed with the focus on politics and that focus being... from young people.

Well, when I was very young, maybe 12 years, I began to make investments.