Question

what 'firsts' were achieved by ellen ochoa and jose moreno hernandez?

Answer 1

JOSÉ M. HERNÁNDEZ—Born August 7, 1962, in French Camp, CA, but considers Stockton, CA, to be his
hometown. In 2004, NASA selected Hernández as an astronaut. He had joined the Agency’s Johnson Space Center in
Houston as a materials research engineer in 2001. He will serve as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle’s STS-128
mission, targeted for launch in 2009. Hernández grew up as one of four children in a migrant farming family from
Mexico. He learned to speak English when he was 12 years old. In 1999, the Society of Mexican American Engineers
and Scientists honored him for his professional and community contributions. He received a bachelor’s degree in
electrical engineering from the University of the Pacific in 1984 and a master’s degree in electrical and computer
engineering from the University of California-Santa Barbara in 1986.

Answer 2

ELLEN OCHOA (Ph.D.)—Born in 1958 in Los Angeles, CA, but considers La Mesa, CA, to be her hometown.
She is the first and only female Hispanic astronaut to fly in space. NASA selected Ochoa as an astronaut in 1990. She
spent nearly 1,000 hours in space during four Shuttle missions: STS-56 in 1993, STS-66 in 1994, STS-96 in 1999,
and STS-110 in 2002. She now serves as Deputy Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Ochoa is the recipient of
numerous awards, including the Harvard Foundation Science Award, Women in Aerospace’s Outstanding Achievement
Award, and the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award. She is a classical flutist and pilot, and she also enjoys volleyball and
bicycling. Ochoa received a bachelor’s degree in physics from San Diego State University in 1980, followed by a master’s
degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1981 and 1985, respectively