." Coming from my earliest childhood, air travel had actually regularly astounded me. I lived out in the boonies as well as the fields, so I failed to possess neighbors to go and also have fun with. If I wasn't functioning, I was actually delegated my own tools, as well as typically, I will just be captivated due to the wildlife as well as in particular, the raptorial birds that I would view." To me, they worked with a freedom of some kind or one more. These birds as well as the view they possess-- they can easily enjoy a lot. Therefore, from that aspect on, I knew I wished to be actually associated with air travel and air travel." I [delighted in] all things tour, all traits spaceflight. I couldn't obtain sufficient of it. I ended up being a serious audience, whereas previously, I wasn't a lot of a viewers. I could not obtain sufficient component to read about my heroes coming from trip as well as space. They became my shining example and the road that they took involved, at some time or one more, a quite extensive learning and devotion to doing properly academically, physically, or even athletically. Thus, I threw on my own right into that whole type of mindset." When I was working for the Aviation service, I managed to soar as well as work on aircraft that I will fantasize around, considering in the publications Air travel Full week as well as Room Technology. Right here they are actually, right in front of me." ... Therefore, my profession has been as close as achievable to that of a flight examination engineer. And afterwards, precisely the heels of being actually spellbinded by atmospherical air travel, operating in human spaceflight has put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Chief Engineer, NASA Design & Protection Center, NASA's Ames .Photo Credit History: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through some of our other Images of NASA.