Dr. Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian woman and the first neurologist to travel to space.

As she celebrates her 80th birthday on Thursday, the Sault-Ste-Marie-born Bondar, reflects on the future of space exploration, her life and what's to come.

On being the first Canadian woman in space:

Bondar holds four degrees and is a physician, scientist, environmentalist and award-winning landscape photographer and author.

She went to space in January 1992 aboard the space shuttle Discovery for an eight-day mission as a payload specialist, studying the effects of microgravity on the human body.

She was among Canada's first cohort of astronauts selected in 1983.

Bondar explained it was a heavy responsibility for her to be the first Canadian woman in space. She noted that there is pressure o

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