." From my earliest childhood, flight had actually always spellbinded me. I survived in the boonies and the farmlands, so I didn't possess neighbors to go and also play with. If I wasn't functioning, I was actually delegated my own units, as well as typically, I would simply be actually spellbinded by the wild animals and in particular, the beast of preys that I would certainly observe." To me, they exemplified a flexibility of some kind or even another. These birds as well as the scenery they have-- they can absorb a lot. Therefore, from that point on, I understood I desired to be actually involved in tour and aviation." I [taken pleasure in] all factors tour, all traits spaceflight. I couldn't receive enough of it. I became a devoted visitor, whereas in the past, I wasn't much of a reader. I could not acquire enough product to review my heroes from air travel and room. They became my good example and also the pathway that they took included, at some point or one more, a pretty thorough education and devotion to accomplish well academically, actually, or athletically. Therefore, I threw on my own in to that whole type of frame of mind." When I was benefiting the Air Force, I had the capacity to fly as well as work with airplane that I would dream around, examining in the publications Air travel Week and also Area Innovation. Here they are actually, right facing me." ... So, my job has been as close as achievable to that of a flight exam designer. And then, right on the heels of being actually astounded by atmospheric air travel, working in individual spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Principal Designer, NASA Design & Safety Facility, NASA's Ames .Image Credit Scores: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through a number of our other Images of NASA.