." From my earliest childhood, tour had actually consistently captivated me. I survived in the boonies and also the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go and also enjoy with. If I had not been operating, I was actually delegated to my very own gadgets, and also usually, I will simply be spellbinded by the creatures and also specifically, the raptorial birds that I would certainly observe." To me, they worked with a flexibility of some kind or an additional. These birds and the view they have-- they can enjoy a lot. Therefore, from that aspect on, I understood I wanted to be actually involved in tour and aeronautics." I [appreciated] all traits trip, all things spaceflight. I couldn't obtain sufficient of it. I came to be an experienced viewers, whereas before, I wasn't a lot of an audience. I could not receive sufficient component to check out my heroes coming from flight and also room. They became my role models and also the road that they took involved, at some time or even one more, a rather extensive learning as well as commitment to perform properly academically, actually, or athletically. Thus, I threw myself in to that whole entire form of frame of mind." When I was benefiting the Air Force, I had the capacity to fly and also work on airplane that I would fantasize approximately, considering in the journals Air travel Full week and Room Technology. Listed here they are actually, correct in front of me." ... So, my profession has actually been as close as feasible to that of a trip exam developer. And afterwards, precisely the heels of being mesmerized by atmospheric trip, doing work in individual spaceflight has actually set me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Chief Designer, NASA Engineering & Protection Facility, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Photo Debt: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through a few of our other Images of NASA.