." Coming from my earliest youth, flight had constantly astounded me. I lived out in the boonies as well as the fields, so I really did not have neighbors to go and also enjoy with. If I had not been operating, I was actually delegated to my very own units, and frequently, I will merely be actually mesmerized by the wild animals and also in particular, the raptors that I would certainly view." To me, they exemplified an independence of some kind or even yet another. These birds as well as the viewpoint they possess-- they can enjoy so much. So, coming from that point on, I understood I intended to be involved in flight and also flying." I [taken pleasure in] all points trip, all points spaceflight. I couldn't obtain good enough of it. I became an enthusiastic visitor, whereas before, I wasn't a lot of a visitor. I could not acquire sufficient product to read about my heroes coming from air travel as well as room. They became my shining example and the road that they took entailed, eventually or yet another, a pretty thorough learning as well as commitment to doing well academically, physically, or even athletically. Thus, I tossed myself into that entire form of perspective." When I was benefiting the Air Force, I managed to fly as well as work with plane that I will hope about, taking a look at in the magazines Air travel Week and also Room Innovation. Here they are actually, best facing me." ... Therefore, my occupation has been as close as achievable to that of a tour exam engineer. And afterwards, exactly on the heels of being actually captivated by atmospheric flight, operating in human spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Chief Designer, NASA Design & Safety And Security Facility, NASA's Ames Research Center.Photo Credit Score: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Check out a few of our various other Images of NASA.