." Coming from my earliest childhood, air travel had constantly astounded me. I survived in the boonies as well as the fields, so I didn't possess neighbors to go and play with. If I had not been working, I was delegated to my personal devices, and also commonly, I would certainly only be actually astounded due to the wildlife as well as especially, the predators that I would view." To me, they represented an independence of some kind or another. These birds and also the viewpoint they have-- they can easily enjoy so much. So, coming from that aspect on, I recognized I wished to be associated with air travel and air travel." I [taken pleasure in] all traits trip, all factors spaceflight. I couldn't obtain sufficient of it. I came to be a passionate audience, whereas previously, I had not been much of a viewers. I could not receive adequate product to read about my heroes coming from trip and room. They became my good example and also the pathway that they took included, eventually or an additional, a quite rigorous learning as well as dedication to carry out well academically, literally, or athletically. Therefore, I tossed myself in to that whole entire kind of attitude." When I was working with the Aviation service, I had the capacity to soar and also work on aircraft that I will dream approximately, considering in the publications Air travel Week and also Space Innovation. Right here they are actually, ideal before me." ... So, my profession has actually been as close as possible to that of an air travel examination engineer. And then, directly on the heels of being actually captivated by climatic flight, functioning in individual spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Principal Developer, NASA Design & Safety Facility, NASA's Ames .Photo Credit Report: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Visit some of our other Faces of NASA.