." From my earliest childhood, air travel had actually regularly captivated me. I survived in the boonies as well as the fields, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go and also enjoy with. If I wasn't functioning, I was actually delegated my very own devices, as well as often, I would certainly merely be mesmerized by the wildlife and also particularly, the raptorial birds that I would find." To me, they embodied an independence of some kind or even an additional. These birds as well as the view they possess-- they can take in so much. So, coming from that factor on, I understood I wanted to be involved in trip and also aeronautics." I [enjoyed] all factors tour, all factors spaceflight. I could not get sufficient of it. I came to be a passionate viewers, whereas in the past, I wasn't much of a viewers. I could not acquire sufficient product to review my heroes from air travel and also space. They became my good example and the road that they took included, eventually or even one more, a quite thorough education and commitment to carry out properly academically, literally, or even athletically. So, I threw on my own right into that entire sort of perspective." When I was actually benefiting the Aviation service, I was able to soar and work on airplane that I will dream about, examining in the magazines Flying Week as well as Area Innovation. Listed below they are actually, ideal facing me." ... Thus, my profession has actually been as close as achievable to that of an air travel examination developer. And then, exactly on the heels of being spellbinded through climatic air travel, operating in human spaceflight has actually placed me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Chief Engineer, NASA Engineering & Safety And Security Center, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Picture Credit History: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Visit several of our other Faces of NASA.