Latinos+essay+PB

= Resources =
 * Scholastic - Latinos in History
 * FactMonster.com
 * [|Wikipedia]


 * CARLOS NORIEGA **

The headline read "FIRST SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERACTIVE ONLINE CHAT WITH NASA ASTRONAUT CARLOS NORIEGA FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR" Press release source: Univision posted Wednesday, December 6, 2000

Marine LT. COL. Carlos I. Noriega was the first person to speak Spanish in space on December 10, 2000 at about 3 p.m. EST. Earthlings were able to watch live audio and video feeds at www.univision.com or e-mail via chatespacial@univision.com spaceref.com.

Carlos Noriega was born on October 8, 1959 in Lima, Peru to Rodolfo and Nora Noriega. Shortly after his birth, Carlos was brought to the United States from Peru. Since then, his new home was Santa Clara, California (jsc.nasa.gov). This is were our American success story begins, a young immigrant that decides to shoot for the stars.

Young Carlos Noriega had dreamed of being an astronaut since he was nine years old when on July 20th 1969 he watched the Apollo 11 land on the moon and then witnessed mans first steps on the moon US Department of Defense. In an attempt to fulfill his dream Carlos went to college and received a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Southern California in 1981 and a Master of Science degree in computer science and a Master of space systems operations, both from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1990 (biography.com).

Carlos Noriega was a military officer and has served in our military as a Marine and flown ch-46 Sea Knight helicopters, however, nothing compared to his first mission into space which was in 1997. Noriega was chosen to be an astronaut in December 1994 and in four months was training for his first mission into space. Noriega spent nine days aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis conducting experiments and delivering four tons of equipment to the Russian Space Station MIR (astronautics.com).

Noriega has clocked a total of four hundred and eighty- one hours in space and has 3.6 million frequent flyer miles to his credit, as well as, one hundred and forty-four orbits around the Earth (americanlatinomuseum.org).

Amazing facts when you consider that even though he was so impressed with the 1969 landing, he didn't really believe he could become an astronaut. In fact, according to a piece done by Staff Sgt. Kathleen Rehm, USA //of American Forces Press Service// for Hispanic American History Month, quotes Noriega as saying, "An astronaut to me was somebody who had been raised from birth in some castle. He wasn't some kid like me who had only spoken English for a few years." Even as an adult he displayed a lack of confidence in his abilities when he was teasing a friend about applying for the astronaut program, but when he looked at the application he realized, much to his surprise that he was qualified to apply (defense.gov).

Noriega had five children and says he tells them not to use their minority status as a crutch. He is quoted as saying, "When your struggling to succeed on your own merits, you hate to have somebody come along who think you're where you are because of a handout along the way." It makes me work extra hard to prove them wrong, but i really hate to even have to fight that perception" (defense.gov).

The Peruvian people are proud to claim Marine LT. Col. Carlos I. Noriega as their own. Noriega enjoys returning to Peru to speak to students and he tells them the same exact thing he tells his own children, "Don't be afraid to dream." "You really can achieve anything you want if you're willing to work for it" (defense.gov).

Although he never walked on the Moon, I think Carlos Noriega is fuera de este mundo.

http://americanlatinomuseum.org/blog/latino_leaders_in_space_and_science/
 * Its one of the United States national museum.

http://www.astronautix.com/astros/noriega.htm
 * They are a web site devoted to posting news about the field of space exploration.

http://www.biography.com/people/carlos-noriega-189134#awesm=~oD4D7YDctVugyy
 * This web sit gives factual biographies on many influential people.

http://www.defense.gov/specials/Hispanic2001/space.html
 * This is the department of defenses web site which is a government web site that gives only factual information.

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/noriega.html
 * When looking up an astronaut I don't think you can go wrong with the NASA web site.