." Coming from my earliest childhood years, flight had actually always astounded me. I endured in the boonies and also the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go as well as enjoy with. If I wasn't operating, I was left to my personal gadgets, and usually, I will simply be astounded by the animals as well as specifically, the birds of prey that I would certainly find." To me, they exemplified a flexibility of some kind or an additional. These birds and also the view they have-- they can easily consume a great deal. So, from that aspect on, I understood I wanted to be actually involved in tour as well as aviation." I [enjoyed] all things tour, all factors spaceflight. I couldn't get enough of it. I became a devoted audience, whereas before, I wasn't a lot of an audience. I couldn't get sufficient material to review my heroes coming from flight as well as area. They became my good example as well as the path that they took involved, at some time or even another, a fairly extensive education and commitment to perform effectively academically, physically, or even athletically. Therefore, I tossed on my own into that whole kind of attitude." When I was working with the Aviation service, I managed to soar and also focus on airplane that I will fantasize around, examining in the magazines Aviation Full week and also Area Modern Technology. Listed here they are actually, appropriate before me." ... So, my job has actually been as close as achievable to that of a flight exam engineer. And then, directly on the heels of being astounded through atmospheric tour, functioning in human spaceflight has actually put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Main Designer, NASA Engineering & Security Facility, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Photo Credit History: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Have a look at some of our other Images of NASA.