EssayAlAM

 **Impact of Hispanics as the Largest Minority in the United States** Max Al-Ali

Is it possible to reach Mars with a manned rocket in 39 days? Franklin Chang Díaz has created a research center called Ad Astra Rocket Company. The company has developed a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket that has the theoretical capabilities to reach Mars in 39 days (Franklin Chang Díaz). Ellen Ochoa served on various space shuttle missions. Richard E. Cavazos has received more than 15 medals while in the U.S. military. These Hispanics achieved major accomplishments that benefited the U.S in technology, space exploration, and military service.

Franklin Chang Díaz became the 1st Costa Rican astronaut in 1986. He has served on several shuttle missions for NASA including Atlantis. He was born on April 5, 1950, in San José, Costa Rica (Franklin Chang-Dìaz Biography). In 1980, NASA selected him to be in their astronaut program. In 1986, he went to space on Atlantis. His mission on Atlantis was to launch the Galileo space probe (Franklin Chang Díaz NASA Major). Galileo was in space for over 22 years and provided phenomenal information and pictures of the Jovian System (gas giant planets) especially Jupiter and its moons (Galileo). Franklin performed three spacewalks while delivering a few Canadian crew members to the International Space Station (Franklin Chang-Dìaz Biography). He retired from NASA and founded the Ad Astra Rocket Company. It recently created a "Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket", an electrical propulsion device for use in space. This "has the theoretical capability to take a manned rocket to Mars in 39 days" (Franklin Chang Díaz Post- NASA Major). Franklin was inducted to the Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 5, 2012. He served 66 days, 18 hours, and 16 minutes in space, and that time benefited the growth of technology and astronomical science for the U.S. and the world.

Ellen Ochoa is the 1st Hispanic woman to go to space (Ellen Ochoa). She was born on May 10, 1958, in Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a masters degree in science and a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University (Ellen Ochoa Background ). She served on four space missions, one of which was Discovery. On one mission, Ellen and the crew were sent on a 9-day trip to study Earth's ozone layer. Additionally, she served as crew representative for flight software, computer hardware, and robotics. Her other missions were to do some repairs on the International Space Station, a laboratory, observatory, and a satellite. She was one of the members for mission control for the Columbia shuttle mission. Sadly, the shuttle did not make it back; it disintegrated while only moments from the ground. Since 2007, she has been assigned as Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center where she manages and directs the Astronaut Office and Aircraft Operations. She is a retired astronaut and served a total of 40 days, 19 hours, and 36 minutes in space (Ellen Ochoa NASA Career). Ellen has received many awards from NASA and has made remarkable achievements in the development of NASA's space explorations.

Richard E. Cavazos is the 1st Hispanic 4-star general. He was born on Jan 31st, 1929, in Kingsville, Texas; he is still alive today at 88! He has served in the Vietnam and Korean wars (Richard E. Cavazos Biography). In the Korean War, he was a member of the 65th infantry serving as first lieutenant. While in Korea, he received his first Distinguished Service Cross (highly ranked award). A citation from Wikipedia states: "Exposed to heavy hostile fire, Lieutenant Cavazos located five men who had been wounded in the action. He evacuated them, one at a time, to a point on the reverse slope of the hill from which they could be removed to the safety of the friendly lines. Lieutenant Cavazos then made two more trips between the United Nations position and the enemy-held hill searching for casualties and evacuating scattered groups of men who had become confused. Not until he was assured that the hill was cleared did he allow treatment of his own wounds sustained during the action." Richard also received a Silver Star (another highly ranked award) in the Korean War (Richard E. Cavazos Korean War). When he served in the Vietnam War, he was a lieutenant colonel and became commander of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry. There, he received a 2nd Distinguished Service Cross for his gallant leadership skills that led his troops to repulse the enemies (Richard E. Cavazos Vietnam War). In 1982, he became the 1st Hispanic 4-star general in the U.S. (Richard E. Cavazos Post-Vietnam). He served a total of 33 years in the military. Richard was a valiant general that made phenomenal achievements in the United States military.

In conclusion, Franklin Chang Díaz, Ellen Ochoa, and Richard E. Cavazos have contributed to the U.S. in the fields of technology, space exploration, and military service. With Franklin and Ellen's space service, NASA has expanded its research in space immensely. Richard's service has saved the lives of many other soldiers and given the U.S. an advantage with his leadership skills. All three Hispanics have made major contributions to the U.S.

=//  Works Cited  //=

"Ellen Ochoa Background." // Wikipedia // . Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. .
 * This information was on several other articles

"Ellen Ochoa NASA Career." // Wikipedia // . Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. .
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information as also on several other articles

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Ellen Ochoa." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Infoplease // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://www.infoplease.com/people/ellen-ochoa>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information was on other sources

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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Franklin Chang Díaz Post- NASA Major." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 26 Apr. 2017. <[|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Chang_D%C3%ADaz]>. ======
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information is on several other sites I have found

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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Franklin Chang-Dìaz ." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Infoplease // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <[]>. ======
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">His birth place/date is on many other websites with the same information

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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Franklin Chang Díaz NASA Major." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <[|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Chang_D%C3%ADaz]>. ======
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I found this information on a website by NASA also

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Franklin Chang-Dìaz Biography." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">NASA // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. NASA, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/chang.html>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information was on Wikipedia and other sources

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Galileo (spacecraft) Background." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_(spacecraft)>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This article about Galileo cross referenced to Franklin Chang Diaz's Wikipedia article

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Richard E. Cavazos Biography." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cavazos>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I found other biographies with the same information

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Richard E. Cavazos Korean War." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cavazos>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information was in other websites.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Richard E. Cavazos Post-Vietnam." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cavazos>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">I found this information on several other websites

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">"Richard E. Cavazos Vietnam War." // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Wikipedia // <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cavazos>.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">This information was in other websites along with his Korean War information