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Jose Hernandez (astronaut)
Encyclopedia
José Moreno Hernández is an American
engineer
and a former NASA
astronaut
.
Hernández was born in French Camp, California
, but calls Stockton, California
, his hometown. His family is from La Piedad
, Michoacán
, with indigenous Purépecha roots. In an August 25, 2009 conversation with President Felipe Calderón
of Mexico, Hernández stated that as a child, he lived half the year in La Piedad and half in the United States. As a child, Hernández worked alongside his family and other farmworkers
throughout the fields of California, harvesting crops and moving from one town to another. He attended many schools and didn't learn to speak English until he was 12. Hernández was assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128
. He also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. Hernández previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography
at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
. Hernández left NASA in 2011.
, a Federal Trio program that prepares students for college. He graduated from Franklin High School in Stockton. While in college, he was involved in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an academic preparation program that provides support to students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds so they can attain four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering
from the University of the Pacific in 1984.
In 1986, Hernández earned an M.S.in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
in Livermore, California
. While there, Hernández, along with a commercial colleague, developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. This invention aids in the early detection of breast cancer
.
Hernández was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in May 2004. In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station
systems, physiological training, T-38
flight training
, and water and wilderness survival training. On completing this initial training, Hernández was assigned to the Shuttle Branch to support Kennedy Space Center Operations in support of Shuttle launch and landing preparations.
In May 2007 Hernández served as an aquanaut
during the NEEMO 12 mission aboard the Aquarius
underwater laboratory
, living and working underwater for eleven days.
Hernández worked various technical assignments until his selection on July 15, 2008, as a mission specialist
on the STS-128
mission, which launched on August 28, 2009. While in orbit, Hernandez became the first person to use Spanish language in space while tweeting
.
STS-128 mission ended its 14 day journey on September 11, 2009 at Edwards Air Force Base
, California
at 5:53 pm PST
.
on September 29, 2011 that at the urging of President Barack Obama
he was considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives and would announce his decision on October 11, 2011. He announced his candidacy as promised on Oct 11 via Twitter by linking to his campaign website.
just outside the Johnson Space Center gates, called Tierra Luna Grill, which is Spanish for Earth Moon Grill.
In September 2009, Hernández advocated support of a legalization path for immigrants. "Having 12 million undocumented people here means there's something wrong with the system, and the system needs to be fixed." Hernández called this his personal opinion, and not a representation of NASA policy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and a former NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
.
Hernández was born in French Camp, California
French Camp, California
French Camp is a census-designated place in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 3,376 at the 2010 census, down from 4,109 at the 2000 census. San Joaquin General Hospital is located in French Camp....
, but calls Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, his hometown. His family is from La Piedad
La Piedad
La Piedad de Cavadas is a city and its surrounding municipality located at in the north-west of the Mexican state of Michoacán, bordering Jalisco and Guanajuato. The original colonial name was San Sebastián. It is bordered by the town of Santa Ana Pacueco, Guanajuato. Both towns straddle the...
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, with indigenous Purépecha roots. In an August 25, 2009 conversation with President Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
of Mexico, Hernández stated that as a child, he lived half the year in La Piedad and half in the United States. As a child, Hernández worked alongside his family and other farmworkers
Campesino
Campesino may refer to:Peasant in Spanish.The arts* Los Campesinos!, an indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales* Teatro Campesino, a theater group founded by the United Farm WorkersPeople...
throughout the fields of California, harvesting crops and moving from one town to another. He attended many schools and didn't learn to speak English until he was 12. Hernández was assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128
STS-128
-Crew notes:Nicole Stott was originally scheduled to return aboard Soyuz TMA-15, but a change in the flight plan was made due to the possible flight delays in future shuttle missions, which may extend Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk's mission beyond the six-month duration preferred for station...
. He also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. Hernández previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography
Mammography
Mammography is the process of using low-energy-X-rays to examine the human breast and is used as a diagnostic and a screening tool....
at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
. Hernández left NASA in 2011.
Education
José Hernández participated during high school in Upward BoundUpward Bound
Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs referred to as TRIO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States...
, a Federal Trio program that prepares students for college. He graduated from Franklin High School in Stockton. While in college, he was involved in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an academic preparation program that provides support to students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds so they can attain four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of the Pacific in 1984.
In 1986, Hernández earned an M.S.in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Awards and honors
Hernández has earned or been awarded:- Graduate Engineering Minority Fellow (GEM) (1985)
- Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award, “Outstanding Technical Contribution” (1995)
- Society of Mexican American Engineers and ScientistsSociety of Mexican American Engineers and ScientistsThe Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, Inc. , originally the Mexican American Engineering Society was founded in 1974...
(MAES) “Medalla de Oro” recipient for professional and community contributions (1999) - U.S. Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
“Outstanding Performance Commendation” (2000) - NASA Service Awards (2002, 2003)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory “Outstanding Engineer Award” (2001)
- Upward Bound National TRIO Achiever Award (2001)
- Eta Kappa NuEta Kappa NuEta Kappa Nu is the electrical and computer engineering honor society of the IEEE, founded in October 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The organization currently has around 200 student chapters and about 3,000,000 members and is headquartered in Chicago,...
Electrical Engineering Honor SocietyHonor societyIn the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
member and awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from University of California at Santa Barbara (2006).
Engineering career
Hernández worked from 1987 to 2001 at Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
in Livermore, California
Livermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
. While there, Hernández, along with a commercial colleague, developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. This invention aids in the early detection of breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
.
NASA career
In 2001, Hernández joined the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas.Hernández was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in May 2004. In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
systems, physiological training, T-38
T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
flight training
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
, and water and wilderness survival training. On completing this initial training, Hernández was assigned to the Shuttle Branch to support Kennedy Space Center Operations in support of Shuttle launch and landing preparations.
In May 2007 Hernández served as an aquanaut
Aquanaut
An Aquanaut is any individual who remains underwater, exposed to the ambient pressure, long enough to come into equilibrium with his or her breathing media. Usually this is done in an underwater habitat on the seafloor for a period equal to or greater than 24 continuous hours without returning to...
during the NEEMO 12 mission aboard the Aquarius
Aquarius (laboratory)
The NOAA Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, adjacent to Conch Reef. It is one of the few underwater research facilities in the world dedicated to science...
underwater laboratory
Underwater habitat
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping...
, living and working underwater for eleven days.
Hernández worked various technical assignments until his selection on July 15, 2008, as a mission specialist
Mission Specialist
A Mission Specialist is a position held by certain NASA astronauts during Space Shuttle missions. A Mission Specialist is assigned to a limited field of the mission, such as for medical experiments or technical quests....
on the STS-128
STS-128
-Crew notes:Nicole Stott was originally scheduled to return aboard Soyuz TMA-15, but a change in the flight plan was made due to the possible flight delays in future shuttle missions, which may extend Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk's mission beyond the six-month duration preferred for station...
mission, which launched on August 28, 2009. While in orbit, Hernandez became the first person to use Spanish language in space while tweeting
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
STS-128 mission ended its 14 day journey on September 11, 2009 at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at 5:53 pm PST
PST
-Time zones:* Pacific Standard Time, UTC−8:00* Pakistan Standard Time, UTC+5:00* Philippine Standard Time, UTC+8:00-Science and technology:* Lead scandium tantalate, a ceramic material* Post-stall technology, aircraft control system-Places:...
.
Congressional campaign
Hernández announced at Pacific Union CollegePacific Union College
Pacific Union College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Angwin, California, United States. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California....
on September 29, 2011 that at the urging of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
he was considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives and would announce his decision on October 11, 2011. He announced his candidacy as promised on Oct 11 via Twitter by linking to his campaign website.
Personal life
Hernández is married and has five children, ages six to 14. His wife, Adela, runs a Mexican restaurantMexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine, a style of food that originates in Mexico, is known for its varied flavors, colourful decoration and variety of spices and ingredients, most of which are native to the country. The cuisine of Mexico has evolved through thousands of years of blending indigenous cultures, with later...
just outside the Johnson Space Center gates, called Tierra Luna Grill, which is Spanish for Earth Moon Grill.
In September 2009, Hernández advocated support of a legalization path for immigrants. "Having 12 million undocumented people here means there's something wrong with the system, and the system needs to be fixed." Hernández called this his personal opinion, and not a representation of NASA policy.