." Coming from my earliest childhood, trip had actually consistently captivated me. I survived in the boonies as well as the fields, so I didn't have next-door neighbors to go and also enjoy with. If I wasn't operating, I was actually left to my own devices, and also typically, I would certainly simply be actually mesmerized due to the creatures as well as especially, the predators that I would see." To me, they embodied a liberty of some kind or another. These birds and the viewpoint they possess-- they may enjoy so much. Therefore, from that point on, I understood I wished to be associated with air travel as well as aviation." I [delighted in] all traits flight, all factors spaceflight. I could not receive good enough of it. I came to be an avid viewers, whereas in the past, I wasn't a lot of a visitor. I could not acquire sufficient product to read about my heroes coming from flight and also room. They became my shining example as well as the path that they took involved, at some time or another, a rather rigorous education and learning and also commitment to accomplish well academically, literally, or athletically. Thus, I tossed on my own right into that whole entire kind of mentality." When I was benefiting the Flying force, I had the ability to fly and also focus on aircraft that I will dream approximately, examining in the publications Air travel Week and Area Modern Technology. Listed below they are, ideal before me." ... Thus, my occupation has been actually as close as possible to that of a flight exam engineer. And then, directly on the heels of being mesmerized by atmospheric tour, doing work in human spaceflight has actually set me over the Moon.".-- Physician Donald Mendoza, Principal Developer, NASA Design & Safety Facility, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Image Credit Scores: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through a few of our various other Images of NASA.