." From my earliest youth, trip had actually regularly spellbinded me. I survived in the boonies and also the farmlands, so I failed to possess next-door neighbors to go and also play with. If I wasn't working, I was actually delegated to my own units, and also often, I would only be actually captivated due to the wildlife as well as especially, the predators that I would view." To me, they exemplified a freedom of some kind or even one more. These birds and also the sight they have-- they may take in a great deal. So, coming from that point on, I recognized I wished to be associated with trip as well as air travel." I [appreciated] all factors air travel, all things spaceflight. I couldn't acquire enough of it. I came to be an enthusiastic reader, whereas before, I wasn't a lot of an audience. I could not get enough product to check out my heroes from tour and also area. They became my shining example and also the pathway that they took included, at some time or yet another, a rather rigorous education and learning as well as dedication to carry out well academically, physically, or even athletically. Thus, I tossed on my own in to that whole entire kind of way of thinking." When I was actually working with the Aviation service, I was able to soar and also focus on aircraft that I would hope approximately, checking out in the magazines Flying Full week and Room Innovation. Right here they are actually, ideal facing me." ... Therefore, my job has actually been actually as close as possible to that of a flight test developer. And afterwards, precisely the heels of being spellbinded through atmospheric tour, doing work in individual spaceflight has set me over the Moon.".-- Dr. Donald Mendoza, Main Engineer, NASA Design & Security Facility, NASA's Ames .Photo Credit History: NASA/Dominic HartInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Browse through some of our other Faces of NASA.