The Puerto Rican community is the second largest Hispanic group in the United States. They are mostly known for their contributions to the fields of the arts, entertainment and sports. Puerto Ricans have, however, also made contributions to the fields of education and science. There are many Puerto Rican scientists involved in the American Space Program, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

On May 6, 2004, Joseph M. Acaba became the first Puerto Rican to become an astronaut candidate and also in 2004, Dr. Nitza Cintron was named Chief of NASA's Johnson Space Center Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office. Dr. Felix Soto Toro is the scientist who developed an electronic 3D measuring system (APTMS) for the Space Shuttle. The following are short profiles of other Puerto Ricans and their contributions and achievements in NASA.

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Anthony M. Busquets - Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1986-Certification of Recognition (NASA Tech Brief Publication), 1987, 92-Certificate of Recognition (NASA Inovation Disclosure), 1992-NASA Team Excellence Award, 1993-Certificate of Outstanding Performance, 1995, 97-NASA Performance Award.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Dr. Victor A. Carreño - Aerospace Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1986-Certificate of Appreciation (LaRC), 1983-Certificate of Recognition (NASA Invention Disclosure) and Certificate of Recognition (NASA Tech Brief Publication), 1986, 89-Certificate of Appreciation (The Governor's Magnet School), 1995-Superior Accomplishment Award, 1996-Group Achievement Award.

Patents:

Single Frequency Multitransmitter Telemetry System, U.S. Patent 4,631,538, Issued December 23, 1986.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Miguel Alvarez Chico - Computer Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"System Hardware Design Engineer for the Aft-Deck Semulator and the Cockpit Motion Facility".

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1997, 2000-Achievement Award.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Juan A. Cruz - Aerospace Engineer, Aero Space Technologist

"Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Parachute"

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Lydia Del Rio - Analyst

"Research and Program Management and Center Full Cost Program Analyst"

Del Rio is responsible for planning and managing R&PM and for evaluating the effectiveness of its program efforts, and for the allocation of resources and funds utilization.

NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Dr. Orlando Figueroa - Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Director of Solar System Exploration Division and Mars Exploration"

Headed the cryogenic technology section, played a key role on the Cosmic Background Explorer mission, and managed a Space Shuttle Helium on Orbit Mission. Manager for the Small Explorers (SMEX) project, manager for the Explorers Program, and Director of Systems Technology and Advanced Concept Directorate. On August 1, 2004, was named Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1993-NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for SMEX, 1994-Community Stars Award, 2001-Presidential Rank Award for Outstanding Performance as a Senior Executive, 2002-Pioneer Award, 2002-Hispanic Business magazine named Fiqueroa to its list of the nation's 100 "Most Influential Hispanic"

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland

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Guillermo A. Gonzalez - Electronical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"In Space Propulsion-Solar Sails Program Manager"

NASA Group/Team Achievement Awards:

1989, 90-Group Achievement Award as member of the HALOE Instrument Team, 1990-Group Achievement Award as member of the X-29 Drop Model Team, 1994-Team Excellence Award for the X-31 Drop Model Program.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria - Chemical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Director of the Engineering and Technical Services"

Gonzalez-Sanabria is responsible for planning, and directing a full range of integrated services including engineering, fabrication, testing, facility management and aircraft services for the Glenn Research Center.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1993-NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 2002-NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership, 2004-Inducted to the Ohio Women Hall of Fame.

NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio

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Amri Hernandez-Pellerano - Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Power Systems Electronics Designer"

Hernandez-Pellerano designs, builds and tests the electronics that will regulate the solar array power in order to charge the spacecraft battery and distribute power to the different loads or users inside the spacecraft.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

2003-The GSFC Engineering Achievement Award for her design of the Power Systems Electronics for the MAP mission.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland

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Gloria Hernandez - Technical Manager, Aero-Space Technologist

"Supersonic Aerodynamics"

NASA Awards:

1998-NASA Performance Award and The National Association Top Women of the Sciences Award, 6 LaRC Superior Accomplishment Awards.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virigina.

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Lucas G. Hortas - Aerospace Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

NASA Awards:

1990-Certificate of Appreciation (Outstanding Accomplishments Control-Structure Interaction Program), 1987, 89, 94, 96-Certificate of Outstanding Performance, 1990-Group Achievement Award (Control-Structure Interaction Mini-Mast Team), 1990-92-Superior Accomplishment Award, 1996-Performance Award.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

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Carlos A. Liceaga - Electronical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Fault-Tolerant Comuting, Reliability Modeling"

NASA Superior Accomplishment Awards:

1999-Development of spectrometer data acquisition system, 2000-Development of advanced atmospheric sensors, 2001-development of global climate change instrument software.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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Debbie Martinez - Computer Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Expertise: Flight Simulation"

"Flight Systems and Software Branch" Software manager for the new Cockpit Motion Facility. Martinez's job consists of supporting La RC (Langley Research Center) researcher community with their particular flight research project studies utilizing the La RC simulation facilities. This involves understanding their problem domain, formulating possible solutions, allocating appropiate resources, and ensuring that the results satisfy their researcher's needs.

NASA Superior Awards:

1999-Outstanding performance and contributions to the FWP (Outstanding FWPC Representative),1999-Outstanding efforts in overseeing the final HSR simulation study at LaRC, 2001-Support of LaRC OEOP, 2001-2003-CMF DC6 Leadership. Plus numerous NASA Performance, NASA Team Excellance and NASA Group Awards. 1999-"Latina of the Year Award in Science and Technology" by "Latina" magazine.

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

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Lissette Martinez - Electrical Engineer, Rocket Scientist

Martinez is the lead electrical engineer for the Space Experiment Module program at the Wallops Flight Facility which is part of NASA's Goddard Flight Facility.

She is responsible for providing electrical engineering support to Code 870 Space Experiment Module (SEM) program. She also is responsible for the testing of ground and flight hardware. Martinez works with students around the world, helping them with science experiments that will actually ride along on Space Shuttle missions and blast into space.

Martinez was part of the team that launched a rocket from White Sands, New Mexico to gather information on the Hale-Bopp Comet in 1999. She was featured in the November 2002 issue of Latina magazine.

NASA Wallops Flight Facility located in Virginia

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Dr. Marla E. Perez-Davis - Chemical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Chief Electrochemistry Branch"

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

2001-Women of Color Technology Award for Career Achievement, 2001-Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award in Diversity.

Dr. Marla E. Perez-Davis holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering

NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio

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Mercedes Reaves - Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Research Engineer"

Reaves is responsible for the design of a viable full-scale solar sail and the development and testing of a scale model solar sail. She is also responsible for planning experimental studies to validate analytical techniques and study solar sails dynamics.

NASA Langley Research Center in West Virginia

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Dr. Miriam Rodon-Naveria - Biology-Aquatic Microbial Ecologist

"Senior Physical Sciences Technical Manager"

Dr. Rodon-Naveria is responsible for developing, coordinating and maintaining research and educational activities in support of NASA DFRC mission.

In 1995, she became the first woman minority Branch Chief within the National Exposure Research Laboratory. In 1998, she became the first Hispanic woman to hold the Deputy Directorship for the Environmental Sciences Division within the NERL.

Dr. Miriam Rodon-Naveria holds a PhD in Biology Aquatic Microbial Ecology

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center located in California

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Otilia L. Rodriguez-Alvarez - Electrical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Solar B. Mission Manager"

Rodriguez-Alvarez is the Instrument Manager for the Advance Baseline Image for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Program.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland

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Dr. Pedro Rodriguez - Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Director of the test Laboratory in the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center"

Dr. Rodriguez is responsible for the engineering services and facilities for in environmental structural and propulsion testing of NASA programs assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center. Among his duties are research, development, qualification and acceptance testing of critical space and flight hardware, as well as the testing of relevant development hardware.

Dr. Rodriguez invented a portable, battery operated seat lift designed for people with degenerative knee arthritis to enable them to stand more easily.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Inventors Award, The Silver Snoopy Award, The Marshall Center Directors Commendation Award as the "Outstanding Hispanic Employee". The Puerto Rican Senate recognized Dr. Rodriguez with a resolution marking his engineering achievement.

Dr. Pedro Rodriguez holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

note:Dr. Rodriguez is the son of the late Puerto Rican salsa singer Pellin Rodriguez.

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama

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Monserrate Roman - Micro-Biologist

"Chief Microbiologist"

Roman is the Chief Microbiologist for the Environmental Control and Life Support System project. She determines how microbes will behave under different situations and in different locations, such as the nooks and crannies of the Space Station.

She ensures safe water and air for the crew of the International Space Station.

NASA Marshall Flight Space Center in Alabama

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Desiree Santa - Administrator

"Congressional Liason/Research Opportunity Administrator"

Management Analyst in the Office of Earth, performing analytical and evaluative work related to the management, organizational efficiency and productivity of program operations.

NASA Headquarters located in Washington, D.C.

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