PROGRAMS:

COMPANIES:

• Boeing
• Martin
• McDonnell
• NASA

LOCATIONS:

Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center and other centers on a TDY basis.

POSITIONS:

I held several job positions during my work for NASA, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing both as a Physicist and as an engineer.

COMMENTS:

When I saw the news about the first satellite launched by the Russians better known as Sputnik; I was a Physics professor at the University of Puerto Rico.  That day I decided to study rocketry.  Prior to the Sputnik, when I was in High School, I used to go to the University of Puerto Rico baseball field, to fly model airplanes that I put together from kits.  I started building my own kits airplanes with balsa wood.  Then when the Remote Controlled (RC) airplanes kits came out, I bought one.  They used vacuum tubes at that time.  I build a big RC airplane and crashed it several times.   Then I turned my attention to rocketry and Astronomy.

In 1960, I earned by Bachelor Degree in Physics from the University of Puerto Rico.  As a Physicist it was easy for me to understand the concepts rocketry and Astronomy.  My main problem was making the rocket fuel.  After some research and my mother’s patience I was able to come up with the right formula to power a small rocket.  My mother’s kitchen was my laboratory.  After several failures; one day I was able to fly the rocket about 1,000 feet high in the air.  Then I turn my attention to my graduate education.

In 1966, I got my Master Degree at Columbia University in New York City.  I could not continue my doctorate degree there because Columbia University at that time was the center of students protest against the war in Vietnam.  In 1966, I returned to the University of Puerto Rico and continue teaching Physics and Astronomy.

In 1969, I went to get my Doctorate in Physics at “UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTONOMA DE MEXICO.”  I was not aware that in 1968, the MASSACRE OF TLATELOLCO occurred, but, I was able to complete the requirements for my doctorate in Physics.  Then in 1972, I was awarded a grant to pursue a post-graduate degree at THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  While there, I turn my attention into Astronomy.  In 1974 I worked at LOS ALAMOS SCIENTIFIC LABORATORIES at Los Alamos, New Mexico.  I did research in high atmospheric physics with NASA as the sponsor.  I enjoyed being there and having some fun during weekends with the craziest of scientists.  I learned to launch balloons to study the high atmospheric physics.  I ended up working for NASA.  First I worked at the MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER in Huntsville, Alabama and then I was transferred to KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. Florida.

When I arrived at KSC we started phasing out the Apollo program and developing the Space Shuttle program.  I worked as a Physicist doing some simulation scenarios to test the Space Shuttle avionics and payload support. Also we continue working all kinds of scenarios and simulations until we witness the first successful launch of the space shuttle Columbia maiden voyage.  Later, I started working with a new group of NASA engineers that was known as LEVEL IV Payload Group.  I worked several space shuttle missions including the famous the Spacelab program. At the time the Spacelab was our version of the Russian MIR space station.   I have the opportunity to travel to other NASA centers.  I will say that from 1976 through 1984 were my most fruitful years working for NASA as a scientist and engineer.

In 1977, a recruiter from Johnson Space Flight Center, George Abbey, asked me if I was interested in becoming an astronaut. They were looking for a Hispanic scientist with a Ph. D. education. He told me that my name was in the list of candidates. I told him that I was familiar with the Space Shuttle design, but was not interested in becoming an astronaut for personal reasons. Yes, I screw up my road to fame right at that moment. But, I was willing to pay that price.  Being an astronaut was not for me.

From 1984 through 1989 I work for Martin Aerospace Company (Lockheed Martin) as a Senior Technical Specialist. I work all those years mostly in what they call “Black Hole” programs.  In other words, top secret stuff.

At the end of 1989, I came back to Kennedy Space Center, but, now working for a contractor.  I went to work for McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Company. I started working in the Space Station Freedom Program. The company was later on bought by Boeing Aerospace Company.  After some years working for Boeing at Kennedy Space Center, I became disillusioned with the way the Space Station Freedom Program was being developed. During that time the Russian have already a working Space Station, known as MIR, that worked for several years.

Around 1995, I left Boeing and went to work for Northrop Grumman Electronics Division in Chicago, Illinois as an engineer and as a Physicist.  Later on, I learned that the Clinton administration decided to shelve the initial plans of building the Freedom Space Station and that it was decided to bring the Russian and other countries, as a partners that will culminate in the International Space Station.  In year 2000, I left Northrop Grumman Electronics Division and retired completely from the Aerospace and Military work.

Since 2000 I have been teaching at different institution in the Orlando area teaching; Mathematics, Physics and Engineering courses.  At present I work for Valencia College teaching Astronomy.