." Coming from my earliest youth, flight had actually consistently captivated me. I survived in the boonies and the fields, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go as well as have fun with. If I had not been functioning, I was delegated my personal units, and usually, I will simply be mesmerized by the wildlife as well as particularly, the raptorial birds that I would see." To me, they stood for a freedom of some kind or even an additional. These birds and also the viewpoint they have-- they can absorb a lot. Therefore, from that aspect on, I recognized I would like to be associated with flight and also aviation." I [taken pleasure in] all things air travel, all points spaceflight. I couldn't get enough of it. I came to be a devoted visitor, whereas before, I wasn't much of a visitor. I could not obtain adequate product to read about my heroes from trip as well as area. They became my role models as well as the path that they took involved, at some point or an additional, a rather rigorous education and learning as well as dedication to carry out well academically, actually, or even athletically. Therefore, I threw on my own right into that whole entire sort of attitude." When I was working for the Aviation service, I was able to fly and also work with aircraft that I would certainly fantasize about, taking a look at in the journals Flying Full week as well as Space Innovation. Below they are actually, best before me." ... Thus, my occupation has actually been actually as close as feasible to that of an air travel examination engineer. And afterwards, exactly on the heels of being actually astounded by climatic flight, functioning in human spaceflight has put me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Main Designer, NASA Design & Safety And Security Facility, NASA's Ames .Picture Credit Report: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Take a look at several of our various other Images of NASA.