This is a list of notable Puerto Rican scientists involved in the United States Space Program, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and their contributions to said program. This list is not limited to Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico, it also includes people of Puerto Rican descent born elsewhere. According to an article written by Margarita Santori Lopez for the official newspaper of the University of Puerto Rico's Mayagüez Campus, "Prensa RUM", as of 2003, of the 114 Hispanics working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, 70 were Puerto Ricans or of Puerto Rican descent.^[1]

Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent, both men and women, have reached top positions in NASA, serving in sensitive leadership positions. On May 6, 2004, Joseph M. Acaba became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19.^[2] On an average, only the top 4% of the qualified applicants are selected as finalists, and are invited to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for interviews for a position in the Astronaut Candidate Class. Out of the finalist group, an average of only 0.63% are selected to become an Astronaut Candidate.^[3] Other notable individuals who have reached finalist status include: Nitza Margarita Cintron, Astronaut Class 8 (1978),^[4] Carlos Ortiz Longo, Astronaut Class 16 (1996).,^[5] Enectalí Figueroa-Feliciano, Astronaut Class 19 (2004) and Class 20 (2009),^[6] and Vanessa Aponte Williams, Astronaut Class 20 (2009) and Class 21 (2012).

Joseph M. Acaba

External videos
Joseph Michael "Joe" Acaba and Suni Williams during a Social Media Event aboard the International Space Station

Astronaut.^[7][8]

In May 2004 Acaba became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19.^[9] He completed his training on February 10, 2006 and was assigned to STS-119, which flew from March 15 to March 28, 2009 to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station.;^[10] Statistics^[11]

#	Spacecraft launch	Launch date	Mission	Spacecraft landing	Landing date	Duration	Spacewalk times	Spacewalk duration
1	Discovery STS-119	15 March 2009, 23:43UTC	STS-119	Discovery STS-119	28 March 2009, 19:13 UTC	12 days 19 hours 29 minutes	2	12 hours 57 minutes
2	Soyuz TMA-04M	15 May 2012, 03:01 UTC	ISS-31 / ISS-32	Soyuz TMA-04M	17 September 2012, 02:52 UTC	124 days 23 hours 51 minutes	0	0
3	Soyuz MS-06	12 September 2017, 21:17 UTC	ISS-53 / ISS-54	Soyuz MS-06	28 February 2018	168 days 5 hours 13 minutes	1	6 hours 49 minutes
						306 days 34 minutes	3	19 hours 46 minutes

Roberto Alemán

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist Environmental Instruments Director at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Alemán directs everything that is related to the environmental instruments which the United States provides to the European Space Agency in order to operate the MetOp, a European satellite that provides environmental information to both Europe and the United States.^[12]

Vanessa Aponte Williams, Ph.D.

Chemical and Aerospace Engineer, Human Spaceflight Exploration Lead, Lockheed Martin Space

Dr. Vanessa Aponte Williams is the Human Spaceflight Exploration Lead of Advanced Programs, Lockheed Martin Space. She has close to 20 years of experience in the Aerospace Industry, primarily devoted to human spaceflight and systems engineering. Prior to Lockheed Martin, she worked in the areas of Advanced Life Support, as well as Controls, Dynamics and Propulsion at NASA Kennedy, Dryden, and Johnson Space Centers. She joined Lockheed Martin as a Sr. Systems Engineer in 2006; one of her most notable roles held within the Orion Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle program, where she led the Cross-Cutting Integration Team in tackling high-visibility, short-turnaround challenges. After Orion, Vanessa also led the New Technology Insertion Board as well as oversaw the technical and programmatic scrutiny of critical U.S. spaceflight assets as Risk and Opportunity Manager within the Special Programs Line of Business. Outside her career at Lockheed Martin, Vanessa has had the distinction of being selected as a finalist and undergoing the Astronaut Selection Interview process at NASA Johnson Space Center twice (2009 & 2012). Throughout her career at Lockheed Martin, Vanessa has been intimately involved with leadership development, STEM and volunteerism. She is also a former member of Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. Vanessa was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She received a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from UPR at Mayagüez and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from CU Boulder.^[13]

Adán Rodriguez-Arroyo

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Stationed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland for over 20 years, Rodríguez-Arroyo was the Communications System Lead Engineer for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission (LRO), launched in June 2009 and currently orbiting the Moon. Currently, Rodriguez-Arroyo is the Communications System Lead Engineer for the Magnetospheric MultiScale Mission (MMS) to be launched in 2015 and will study the electromagnetic iteration between the Sun and Earth.

Rodriguez-Arroyo earned his BSEE from the University of Puerto Rico and his MSEE from the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He was born in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico.^[14]

Renán Borelli

Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

SWIFT satellite instrumentation Manager at NASA Goddard Space Center in Maryland. The Swift is a multi-wavelength space-based observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science.^[1]

Anthony M. Busquets

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Stationed at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, his responsibilities include the development and application of multifunction control/display switch technology in 1983 and Development and application of a microprocessor-based I/O system for simulator use in 1984.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

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

He is the author and or co-author of over 13 conference papers and NASA formal publications in the areas of cockpit controls and displays, use of stereoscopy in flight displays and pictorial flight displays for situation awareness enhancement.^[15]

Miguel Alvarez Chico

Computer Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

System Hardware Design Engineer for the Aft-Deck Simulator and the Cockpit Motion Facilitya at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He is also the Assistant Systems Engineer, General Aviation Simulator (reactivation) - support of the AWIN research study (1998–2002).^[15]

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

1997, 2000-Achievement Award.

Nitza Margarita Cintron

Chief of Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

In 1979, Cintron was the originator of the Biochemistry Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center. Cintron also served from (1979–85) as the project scientist for the Space Lab 2 mission which was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1985. Among the positions held by Cintron in NASA are "Chief of the Biomedical Operations and Research Branch in the Medical Science Division" and "Director for managing the Life Sciences Research Laboratories" in support of medical operations. In 2004 she was named "Chief of NASA's (JSC) Space Medicine and Health Care Systems Office", position which she currently holds.^[16]

In 1978, Dr. Cintron became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to become a finalist of the NASA Astronaut Selection Program.

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

"JSC Director's Commendation and Innovation Award", the centers highest award for a civil servant, the "NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement", the highest science honor given by the agency. On October 7, 2004, she was inducted into the Hispanic Engineer's National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC) Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, located in Los Angeles, California, was established in 1998 and recognizes the contributions of Hispanics in the fields of science, engineering and technology. In 2006, she was recognized as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic magazine.^[17][18]

Gilberto Colón

Chemical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Associate Director for the Sun Earth Connections Programs

Colon is the director of the NASA program known as "Living with a Star/Solar Terrestrial Probes". He travels throughout the United States and Puerto Rico during the summers, instructing teachers of both private and public educational facilities.^[1]

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland

Juan R. Cruz

Aerospace Engineer, Aero Space Technologist

"Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Parachute" at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Cruz is a senior aerospace engineer in the Exploration Systems Engineering Branch at the NASA Langley Research Center. His responsibilities are focused on research and development of entry, descent, and landing (EDL) systems for robotic and human exploration missions. He was a member of the highly successful Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project that placed two rovers on the surface of Mars in 2004. His contributions to the MER project were centered on the design and qualification of the supersonic parachute.

Cruz is also a member of the Phoenix (Mars 2007), Mars Science Laboratory (Mars 2009), and Crew Exploration Vehicle EDL teams. He has undertaken research on advanced missions to Mars, including robotic airplanes, as well as having been a technical reviewer for the Genesis, Huygens, and Stardust missions. Prior to his involvement with exploration programs he conducted research on high-altitude unmanned aircraft.

Cruz holds a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, and an S.B. from MIT, both in aerospace engineering. During his years at MIT he was involved with the Monarch and Daedalus human powered airplane teams.^[15]

Carlos Del Castillo

"Program Scientist for the Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program"

"NASA Headquarters, in Washington, D.C."

Del Castillo is the recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) award, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.^[19]

He began working in the Mississippi River plume and in the application of remote sensors to study coastal environments. Del Castillo co-edited with Drs. Richard Miller and Brent McKee, "Remote Sensing of the Coastal Environment," a book which provides extensive insight on remote sensing of coastal waters from aircraft and space-based platforms

Lydia Del Rio

Analyst

"Research and Program Management and Center Full Cost Program Analyst" at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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.^[20]

Rey N. Diaz

Engineering Management

Stationed at NASA Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida, Dr. Rey N. Diaz is a senior manager serving as the Chief of the Business Systems Division at the Kennedy Space Center. Diaz holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and a master's degree in Engineering Management both from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining NASA in 1983, Diaz earned his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus.

For over 40 missions, Dr. Diaz was instrumental in the integration and testing of space flight systems and instruments carried on board Space Shuttle missions. In 1991, Diaz received the Silver Snoopy Award - one of the highest and most prestigious honors bestowed by the NASA's Astronaut Office and flown aboard a Space Shuttle mission, and the NASA Management award in 2017 for sustained and outstanding performance and contributions to the NASA Spaceflight programs

An expert on management systems, Dr. Diaz has delivered exceptional services and advice to institutional and organizational management. Dr Diaz led the successful implementation of the Business Management System associated with all NASA employees for the Kennedy Space Center.^[21]

Dr. Diaz has been recognized for his contributions to increase awareness toward careers in Science, Technology, Math and Science and the impact of science and technology on society.

Alfonso Eaton

Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Assistant Director of the Engineering Division of the Goddard Space Flight Center.

"In 1966, Eaton became the first Puerto Rican and graduate of the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico to work for NASA. Eaton retired on September 2005, after 39 years of service to the Space agency."^[1]

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

2000-NASA Medal for exceptional service, 200-NASA Medal for extraordinary service.

Enectalí Figueroa-Feliciano

Mechanical Engineer, Astronaut applicant

An astrophysicist at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, Figueroa's research interests revolve around the development of high-energy-resolution imaging spectrometers for space-borne applications in experimental astrophysics and cosmology."

"Figueroa is an astrophysicist who pioneered the development position-sensitive detectors and is an expert and researcher on dark matter.^[22][23] Figueroa is a researcher with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and a professor of physics MIT.^[24][25]

Figueroa is also an Assistant Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology {MIT and the author of various papers including "Position-sensitive low-temperature detectors".^[1][25] astrophysicist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)^[24]

Orlando Figueroa

External videos
You may watch and listen to Orlando Figueroa recipient of the 2005 Service to America Medal here

Mechanical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Former "Director of Solar System Exploration Division and Mars Exploration" and "Director, Applied Engineering & Technology" (as the "Director of Engineering" he managed the full scope of engineering activities at Goddard) at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

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.^[26] In August 2005, Figueroa was appointed to the position of Director for System Safety and Mission Assurance at the Goddard Space Flight Center. In October 2005, Figueroa was named Director of Applied Engineering and Technology at Goddard, as such he is responsible for 1,300 employees and provides guidance on engineering and system technology.

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 Hispanics.^[26]

Guillermo A. Gonzalez

Electronical Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"In Space Propulsion-Solar Sails Program Manager"

Specialty: Electropyrotechnics Firing circuit & Nickel Cadmium Battery Systems at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

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. Co-authored 3 publications in the area of aircraft flight testing.^[15]

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.^[27]

NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio

Amri Hernandez-Pellerano

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Power Systems Electronics Designer" at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

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.^[28]

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

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

Gloria Hernandez

Physical Scientist, Science Manager, Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III on ISS)

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

Over 30 NASA Performance Awards and Superior Accomplishment Awards

2011 - Official Citation from the General Assembly, State of Connecticut in recognition for receiving the 2011 Latina Legends Award in Science and Technology from the Latinas & Power Symposium, and for her commitment to the empowerment of women and breaking through barriers in science and technology.

2001 - Recipient of the NASA Fellowship to Harvard Business School.

2000 - Southern Illinois University Minority Engineering Program Achievement Award.

1998 - The National Technical Association 50 Top Women in the Sciences Award.^[15][29]

Annie Delgado-Holton

Project Control Specialist

As a PCG Delgado-Holton us responsible for the budget planning and analysis of a major portion of a program and or project for which she was selected. She provides support to the Exploration Systems Division (ESD) as member of the Project Control Office staff. Delgado-Holton evaluates financial trends and determines compliance with project guidance at Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Delgado-Holton launched the first "Esperanza Community Dialogue", Esperanza is a non-profit organization in the Cleveland area, whose main goal is to provide students with the necessary resources to excel in their college careers. Esperanza Community Dialogue brings forth to the Center Esperanza scholarship recipients and their parents to learn and discuss the great opportunities offered at NASA GRC.

Delgado-Holton began her career at NASA Glenn Research Center as an Executive Support Assistant to the Aeronautics Directorate.

She is also a member of LATINA and as a member she advocated for the inclusion of a Hispanic woman into the Ohio's Women's Hall of Fame.^[30]

Lucas G. Horta

Aerospace Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

NASA Awards and Recognitions:

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.

He is the author and or co-author of over 35 technical papers in the areas of system identification, vibration control and isolation, optimal control design and implementation, optimal actuator/sensor placement, model testing, and experimental verification of control methodologies.^[15]

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

Grisselle LaFontaine

Information Technologist

"Information Technology (IT) Specialist" at Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Part of LaFontaine's job is to assist in the implementation of federal IT mandates. She develops Web-based solutions to address information management needs. LaFontaine developed a dynamic web-based bulletin board called "Today@Glenn" and she created a web site documenting Cultural Change initiatives at Glenn. LaFontaine helped develop a NASA strategic plan for the advancement of Hispanics at the Center.^[31]

Javier Lechaedit

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Group Leader in the area of Electromechanical systems" at Goddard Space Center in Maryland.^[1]

María C. Lechaedit

Electronics Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

Lecha is in charge of a group of engineers who are in the process of developing the "Solar Dynamic Observatory" which will be launched into outer space in 2008 at Goddard Space Center in Maryland^[1]

Carlos A. Liceaga, P.E.edit

Electrical and Computer Engineer, Aero-Space Technologist

"Explorer Acquisition Manager" at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

For the Explorer Program, leads the development of proposal guidelines; and the technical, management, and cost evaluation of the proposals.

Specialties: Fault-Tolerant Computing, Reliability Modeling

NASA Awards:

2003, 06-Time-Off Award; 1995, 2003, 04, 05-Performance Award; 2002-For A Special Task Award; 1999, 2000, 01-Superior Accomplishment Award; 1998-Certificate of Recognition for Invention Disclosure; 1986-Special Achievement Award.

He is the author and or co-author of 12 publications in the areas of reliability modeling, fault-tolerant computers, space systems, spacecraft simulation, Shuttle/Station subsystems, and space mission proposal guidelines.^[15]

Carlos Ortiz Longoedit

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=List_of_Puerto_Ricans_in_the_United_States_Space_Program
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