In 1993, the first Hispanic woman in space, as well as the first Hispanic and only the second woman to serve as director of the Johnson Space Center, Ellen Ochoa has been on four space shuttle flights, logging almost 1,000 hours in space. She attended Grossmont High School in La Mesa, California, and is a 1980 graduate of San Diego State University, with a bachelor’s degree in physics. She then attended Stanford University, where she received both masters and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering, the latter in 1985. After completing post graduate study, Dr. Ochoa joined Sandia National Laboratories and the NASA Ames Research Center. Her research focused on optical systems for information processing, co-inventing and holding three patents in the optical recognition and inspection field. She applied for the NASA astronaut training program in 1985. Turned down, she earned a pilot’s license to enhance her selection chances. Applying a second time in 1987, she was once again rejected, but, in 1990, her third application was accepted. She began space flight training in 1991. Dr. Ochoa served as a mission specialist on STS-56 in 1993, payload commander on STS-66 in 1994, and mission specialist and flight engineer on STS-96 in 1999. Her fourth and final mission was on STS-110 in 2002. After completing 950 hours in space, Dr. Ochoa served in a number of important NASA capacities of increasing responsibility, as assistant for the space station in the Astronaut Office, as lead spacecraft communicator in Mission Control, and as Acting Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. In 2012, she was named Director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Among Dr. Ochoa’s many prestigious awards, she has received NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal (2015), their Exceptional Service Medal (1997), their Outstanding Leadership Medal (1995), as well as four NASA Space Flight Medals (1993, 1994, 1999, 2002). And, Dr. Ochoa now has six schools named in her honor, in California, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.
Inducted in 2018.
Portrait Location: Space Gallery
2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA
Phone: 619.234.8291
Información En Español
Contact Us
We would like to thank all our sponsors who help us make a difference. Click here to view all who help us.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Federal Tax ID Number 95-2253027.