The life story of Jose M. Hernandez, who went to California and then outer space, is an example of one of the most inspirational stories of perseverance, determination, and pride in roots. Hernandez was born to Mexican migrant farmworkers on August 7, 1962, in French Camp, California. As a boy, he had to spend most of his time with his family as they were travelling across the state, following the harvest and spending time working in the fields. This early experience influenced his hard work ethic and made him have a strong appreciation of the sacrifices that his parents made.

Although it was difficult to grow up in a migrant family that had always been on the move, switching schools, and had problems with English, Hernandez managed to keep one dream, and that was to become an astronaut. In 1972, he was motivated when he heard the story of the first Hispanic American astronaut, Franklin Chang Diaz. Ever since then, Hernandez realized that if a person with a similar background could reach space, it was possible that he could do the same.

Hernandez graduated, and after some time, he received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of the Pacific and a master's degree in engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He joined NASA at the Johnson Space Center, where he worked on significant projects, developing technology that could be useful in medical imaging. However, his end ambition was to be an astronaut.

The road was not easy. It was on the 12th attempt that Hernandez was accepted into the NASA astronaut program. This also paid off in the year 2009 when he was aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-128. The two-week mission visit to the International Space Station was a mission where he contributed to transporting supplies and equipment essential in conducting continuous research. His introduction into space was not only the symbol of his personal victory but also the fulfillment of the dream of thousands of children and immigrants who wanted to break those boundaries.

Hernandez’s impact goes beyond his historic spaceflight. He has taken advantage of his platform to support education, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. He also stresses the importance of perseverance and reminds his students, especially underrepresented students, that failure is not the end but just a part of the process to success. His story has been spread in the classroom, in documentaries, and, latest of all, in a film feature that encourages new generations to dream greater than their reality.

The legacy of Hernandez is not merely the accomplishment of a successful mission in space but also evidence that with diligence, determination, and pride in your background, there is nothing above you that is impossible to reach.

Citations:

Locatelli, Angela. “Here’s What an Astronaut Has to Say about Space Tourism.” National Geographic Traveller (UK), 5 Sept. 2024, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-an-astronaut-has-to-say-about-space-tourism

Dotdash, Meredith. “Biography of José Hernández, Former NASA Astronaut.” ThoughtCo, 20 May 2019.

https://www.thoughtco.com/former-nasa-astronaut-jose-hernandez-biography-2834889