." From my earliest youth, air travel had constantly captivated me. I survived in the boonies and also the fields, so I really did not possess neighbors to go and also play with. If I had not been functioning, I was delegated to my own units, and also frequently, I would simply be mesmerized by the animals and in particular, the raptors that I will see." To me, they represented a flexibility of some kind or even yet another. These birds and the perspective they possess-- they can absorb so much. Therefore, coming from that point on, I recognized I intended to be associated with trip as well as aviation." I [enjoyed] all points tour, all things spaceflight. I couldn't receive good enough of it. I ended up being a serious visitor, whereas before, I wasn't much of a viewers. I could not acquire adequate product to review my heroes from flight as well as space. They became my shining example and the path that they took included, at some point or one more, a fairly extensive education as well as commitment to perform well academically, physically, or athletically. So, I threw on my own into that whole type of frame of mind." When I was helping the Aviation service, I managed to fly and deal with aircraft that I would certainly fantasize approximately, considering in the journals Aeronautics Week and Room Technology. Here they are actually, right before me." ... Thus, my job has been as close as achievable to that of an air travel examination engineer. And then, right on the heels of being astounded through atmospherical flight, operating in human spaceflight has actually set me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Principal Developer, NASA Engineering & Safety Center, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Photo Credit Score: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Look into several of our other Images of NASA.