." From my earliest childhood, flight had actually consistently mesmerized me. I survived in the boonies and the fields, so I failed to possess neighbors to go and also play with. If I wasn't working, I was delegated my very own tools, and also usually, I will simply be actually mesmerized by the wild animals as well as particularly, the birds of prey that I would certainly find." To me, they stood for a liberty of some kind or even another. These birds and the viewpoint they possess-- they may consume a lot. So, coming from that point on, I understood I would like to be associated with tour and aviation." I [taken pleasure in] all factors tour, all things spaceflight. I couldn't acquire good enough of it. I became an avid reader, whereas before, I wasn't much of an audience. I couldn't get enough component to review my heroes from air travel and also room. They became my role models and the course that they took included, at some time or even yet another, a quite rigorous education and learning and devotion to perform effectively academically, literally, or athletically. So, I tossed myself right into that entire sort of mentality." When I was working with the Aviation service, I had the ability to fly and also focus on plane that I would hope around, checking out in the publications Aeronautics Full week and also Room Modern Technology. Listed here they are actually, ideal facing me." ... Thus, my job has been as close as possible to that of a trip test developer. And then, precisely the heels of being actually captivated through atmospheric air travel, operating in individual spaceflight has put me over the Moon.".-- Doctor Donald Mendoza, Principal Developer, NASA Design & Safety And Security Center, NASA's Ames Proving ground.Graphic Credit Scores: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Have a look at some of our other Faces of NASA.