." From my earliest childhood years, tour had actually always mesmerized me. I endured in the boonies and the fields, so I really did not have neighbors to go and enjoy with. If I had not been functioning, I was actually delegated to my own gadgets, and usually, I would certainly merely be captivated due to the creatures and also particularly, the raptors that I would observe." To me, they exemplified a flexibility of some kind or even an additional. These birds and the perspective they have-- they may absorb so much. Therefore, from that aspect on, I recognized I desired to be involved in tour and also air travel." I [enjoyed] all traits tour, all traits spaceflight. I could not get good enough of it. I ended up being an enthusiastic reader, whereas before, I wasn't a lot of a visitor. I couldn't get adequate product to check out my heroes coming from trip and area. They became my good example and also the path that they took involved, at some time or even one more, a quite rigorous learning as well as dedication to accomplish well academically, literally, or athletically. Thus, I tossed on my own in to that whole entire type of mindset." When I was actually working with the Air Force, I managed to soar and work on airplane that I will hope approximately, looking at in the journals Air travel Full week as well as Room Technology. Below they are actually, right in front of me." ... So, my occupation has actually been as close as possible to that of a trip test designer. And afterwards, exactly on the heels of being actually mesmerized by atmospheric air travel, doing work in human spaceflight has actually set me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Principal Engineer, NASA Engineering & Safety And Security Center, NASA's Ames .Graphic Credit Score: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Visit several of our other Images of NASA.