." From my earliest childhood years, flight had regularly mesmerized me. I survived in the boonies as well as the fields, so I didn't have neighbors to go and also have fun with. If I had not been working, I was delegated to my very own tools, and also often, I will only be captivated by the creatures and also in particular, the raptorial birds that I will observe." To me, they exemplified an independence of some kind or yet another. These birds as well as the perspective they have-- they can take in so much. So, coming from that factor on, I understood I would like to be actually associated with flight as well as aeronautics." I [enjoyed] all points flight, all traits spaceflight. I could not acquire sufficient of it. I came to be an experienced visitor, whereas previously, I had not been much of a viewers. I could not get enough component to check out my heroes coming from tour and space. They became my good example as well as the path that they took included, eventually or yet another, a pretty strenuous learning and also dedication to perform effectively academically, physically, or even athletically. Thus, I tossed myself into that whole type of frame of mind." When I was benefiting the Flying force, I had the ability to fly as well as deal with aircraft that I would certainly hope approximately, looking at in the magazines Aeronautics Full week and also Space Modern Technology. Listed below they are, ideal in front of me." ... So, my career has been actually as close as possible to that of an air travel test engineer. And afterwards, precisely the heels of being actually spellbinded through atmospherical trip, functioning in individual spaceflight has actually put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Main Engineer, NASA Engineering & Safety Facility, NASA's Ames .Photo Credit History: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through a number of our other Images of NASA.