." Coming from my earliest childhood, flight had actually consistently astounded me. I survived in the boonies and the farmlands, so I really did not possess next-door neighbors to go and also have fun with. If I wasn't operating, I was delegated my very own gadgets, and also usually, I would certainly merely be actually captivated due to the wild animals and also specifically, the raptorial birds that I would certainly view." To me, they embodied a liberty of some kind or an additional. These birds as well as the view they possess-- they can easily absorb a great deal. Therefore, coming from that point on, I knew I wished to be actually associated with flight and also air travel." I [delighted in] all things trip, all points spaceflight. I couldn't receive enough of it. I came to be an avid reader, whereas previously, I had not been much of a reader. I could not obtain sufficient component to check out my heroes from trip as well as space. They became my shining example and the road that they took included, at some time or one more, a fairly rigorous education and learning and also devotion to perform well academically, actually, or athletically. So, I tossed on my own into that entire sort of mindset." When I was actually benefiting the Air Force, I managed to fly as well as deal with airplane that I would certainly fantasize around, taking a look at in the journals Air travel Week and Area Innovation. Listed below they are, correct facing me." ... Thus, my career has been as close as feasible to that of a flight exam designer. And then, directly on the heels of being spellbinded through climatic flight, operating in human spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Chief Engineer, NASA Design & Security Facility, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Graphic Credit Scores: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through a few of our various other Images of NASA.