." Coming from my earliest childhood years, trip had actually consistently captivated me. I lived out in the boonies as well as the farmlands, so I really did not have neighbors to go and enjoy with. If I wasn't functioning, I was left to my personal units, as well as frequently, I would just be spellbinded by the wildlife and specifically, the beast of preys that I will observe." To me, they represented a liberty of some kind or another. These birds and also the viewpoint they possess-- they can easily enjoy so much. Therefore, coming from that point on, I recognized I would like to be involved in air travel as well as aeronautics." I [taken pleasure in] all traits trip, all factors spaceflight. I couldn't get sufficient of it. I came to be an enthusiastic reader, whereas previously, I wasn't much of a visitor. I could not receive adequate material to review my heroes coming from tour and area. They became my shining example and also the pathway that they took entailed, at some time or an additional, a quite thorough education and also commitment to carry out well academically, physically, or even athletically. So, I threw on my own right into that whole kind of frame of mind." When I was helping the Aviation service, I had the ability to fly and deal with aircraft that I would certainly dream about, taking a look at in the publications Aviation Week as well as Space Modern Technology. Right here they are, correct facing me." ... Therefore, my profession has actually been as close as possible to that of a trip examination designer. And after that, exactly on the heels of being mesmerized by atmospheric tour, doing work in human spaceflight has put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Chief Engineer, NASA Engineering & Safety And Security Facility, NASA's Ames Research Center.Graphic Credit Scores: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Take a look at several of our various other Images of NASA.