." From my earliest youth, air travel had actually consistently captivated me. I endured in the boonies as well as the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go as well as play with. If I wasn't working, I was actually delegated to my own gadgets, and commonly, I would certainly merely be actually mesmerized by the wildlife as well as specifically, the raptors that I would observe." To me, they stood for a liberty of some kind or even one more. These birds as well as the sight they have-- they can consume a great deal. So, from that point on, I knew I would like to be actually involved in air travel and also aeronautics." I [delighted in] all points flight, all factors spaceflight. I could not acquire enough of it. I came to be a devoted viewers, whereas previously, I had not been a lot of an audience. I could not obtain sufficient product to check out my heroes from air travel and also space. They became my good example and also the pathway that they took involved, at some point or even another, a quite strenuous education and learning and devotion to accomplish well academically, actually, or athletically. Therefore, I threw on my own in to that whole entire kind of state of mind." When I was working for the Aviation service, I was able to fly and work on airplane that I will dream approximately, taking a look at in the publications Aeronautics Week and also Room Modern Technology. Listed below they are actually, correct in front of me." ... Thus, my job has actually been as close as achievable to that of an air travel exam designer. And afterwards, right on the heels of being actually captivated by atmospherical tour, doing work in individual spaceflight has actually put me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Chief Engineer, NASA Design & Safety And Security Facility, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Graphic Credit: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through several of our other Faces of NASA.