." From my earliest youth, flight had actually consistently spellbinded me. I endured in the boonies and the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go and also have fun with. If I wasn't operating, I was actually left to my own devices, as well as typically, I will merely be mesmerized by the wild animals and particularly, the raptorial birds that I would view." To me, they represented a flexibility of some kind or another. These birds and also the sight they possess-- they can take in a lot. Therefore, from that aspect on, I understood I wanted to be involved in flight and aviation." I [appreciated] all points trip, all points spaceflight. I couldn't obtain good enough of it. I ended up being an experienced audience, whereas previously, I wasn't much of a visitor. I couldn't acquire enough product to check out my heroes from tour as well as space. They became my shining example as well as the course that they took involved, at some time or even an additional, a fairly thorough education and also dedication to perform properly academically, literally, or even athletically. So, I threw myself in to that entire form of attitude." When I was working for the Aviation service, I had the ability to fly and deal with airplane that I will hope approximately, checking out in the publications Aeronautics Week and also Room Technology. Below they are, appropriate in front of me." ... Thus, my occupation has been as close as feasible to that of a flight exam developer. And after that, exactly on the heels of being actually spellbinded through climatic air travel, functioning in human spaceflight has put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Principal Engineer, NASA Engineering & Safety Center, NASA's Ames .Graphic Debt: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Check out several of our other Faces of NASA.