." Coming from my earliest childhood years, trip had constantly captivated me. I lived out in the boonies as well as the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go and also enjoy with. If I wasn't operating, I was actually left to my own gadgets, and also commonly, I would only be astounded by the creatures and specifically, the birds of prey that I would certainly observe." To me, they stood for a freedom of some kind or yet another. These birds and the view they have-- they can consume so much. So, from that factor on, I knew I wanted to be associated with trip and also air travel." I [appreciated] all points air travel, all factors spaceflight. I couldn't acquire sufficient of it. I came to be a passionate visitor, whereas before, I had not been much of a reader. I couldn't obtain adequate component to check out my heroes coming from trip and also room. They became my good example as well as the course that they took included, at some point or even another, a pretty thorough education as well as commitment to accomplish effectively academically, physically, or athletically. Therefore, I threw myself right into that entire kind of state of mind." When I was actually working with the Aviation service, I had the ability to soar and also work with plane that I will hope about, considering in the journals Air travel Full week and Room Modern Technology. Listed below they are, best before me." ... Therefore, my profession has actually been as close as possible to that of an air travel test developer. And afterwards, precisely the heels of being actually spellbinded by climatic flight, functioning in individual spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Principal Designer, NASA Engineering & Security Facility, NASA's Ames .Picture Debt: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Have a look at a few of our various other Faces of NASA.