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Dr. Ellen Ochoa
Dr. Ellen Ochoa (1958-Present) is an astronaut for the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA). Born in Los Angeles, California, Ellen Ochoa grew up in a suburb of San Diego with her sister and three brothers. She learned early in life to do her best in everything. She describes her mother, Rosanne Ochoa- a single parent who earned three degrees over the course of over two decades while also raising her family - as being her "super-mentor." Ellen was a very good student, graduating near the top of her high school class and continuing her education at San Diego State University, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in 1980 in physics. In 1981, she went on to Stanford University where she earned a Master of Science degree and in 1985, she earned a Doctorate in electrical engineering. While in school, she earned recognition as a classical flutist, performing as a soloist with the symphony orchestra at Stanford. She now enjoys volleyball and bicycling, and is able to fly as a private pilot in her free time. After she finished school, Dr. Ochoa worked for Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico and later, for NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. In both places she specialized in developing ways to create pictures from which scientists could process information. During her time in these positions, she was also listed as a co-inventor for a picture-oriented inspection system, for a picture-oriented object recognition method, and for a method to make pictures clearer. In 1985, Ochoa sent in an application to NASA, hoping to become an astronaut. In 1987, she found that she was one of 100 candidates (out of 2,000 that applied) who were being considered to go through the training program. In January of 1990, she and 22 other people were accepted into the astronaut corps, making her the first Hispanic woman to ever be a part of this group. The training program was both physically and mentally demanding, and it included academic subjects like meteorology, geology, oceanography, astronomy, medicine, and orbital mechanics, as well as physical training such as survival techniques and parachuting. In addition, she had to learn everything possible about the space shuttle itself. In April 1993, Dr. Ochoa began her first of three space shuttle missions with the 9-day flight of the Discovery. She studied the atmosphere and the sun to better understand the Earth's climate and environment. Because she was a mission specialist, Dr. Ochoa also had the opportunity to operate a robotic arm that maneuvers a satellite to collect information about the sun. In November 1994, Dr. Ochoa began her second mission with the 10-day flight of Atlantis. This time, she was collecting more data about the sun and again, had the opportunity to operate a robotic arm to recapture a satellite. In May 1999, Dr. Ochoa embarked on her last mission - an 11-day trip on the space shuttle Discovery. This was an especially important mission, as it was the first time she docked with the newly developed International Space Station. Dr. Ochoa coordinated the transfer of clothing, medical equipment, sleeping bags, water, and spare parts - nearly 2 tons of materials - from her shuttle to the station in preparation for the first crew that was to live on board.When not on space shuttle flights, Dr. Ochoa has worked with NASA's technical support in Houston's Johnson Space Center verifying flight software, serving as a representative for robotics, and working in the Mission Astronaut Office. She also directed the crew working with the International Space Station. Dr. Ochoa speaks as frequently as possible to students and teachers, encouraging each person to continue his or her education. She believes that it is education that allows you stand out to employers. | ||||
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For further information on Dr. Ellen Ochoa and other scientists, below are some additional resources that may be helpful.
Center for Integrating Research and Learning at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. |