." Coming from my earliest youth, flight had consistently spellbinded me. I endured in the boonies and also the farmlands, so I failed to have next-door neighbors to go as well as enjoy with. If I wasn't working, I was left to my very own devices, and commonly, I will just be actually mesmerized by the creatures and also particularly, the beast of preys that I would certainly find." To me, they exemplified an independence of some kind or yet another. These birds and the viewpoint they possess-- they can easily absorb a great deal. So, coming from that factor on, I recognized I desired to be actually involved in flight as well as air travel." I [delighted in] all factors air travel, all factors spaceflight. I could not acquire good enough of it. I ended up being an enthusiastic viewers, whereas previously, I had not been much of an audience. I could not receive adequate material to review my heroes coming from flight and area. They became my shining example and the path that they took involved, at some point or an additional, a quite thorough education and also dedication to carry out properly academically, literally, or even athletically. So, I tossed myself in to that whole form of mindset." When I was actually helping the Aviation service, I managed to soar and also focus on aircraft that I will hope approximately, considering in the magazines Air travel Week as well as Space Modern Technology. Listed below they are, appropriate before me." ... Therefore, my profession has actually been actually as close as possible to that of a trip exam developer. And then, exactly on the heels of being actually astounded by climatic tour, working in individual spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Principal Engineer, NASA Design & Protection Facility, NASA's Ames Research Center.Photo Debt: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Visit a number of our other Faces of NASA.