José M. Hernández facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Hernández
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Official portrait, 2009
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José Moreno Hernández
August 7, 1962 French Camp, California, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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13d 20h 54m |
| Selection | NASA Group 19 (2004) |
| Missions | STS-128 |
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Mission insignia
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| Retirement | January 14, 2011 |
José Moreno Hernández is an inspiring Mexican-American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He is famous for traveling to space on the Space Shuttle mission STS-128. He grew up working in farm fields before reaching his dream of visiting space. He also serves as a leader on the Regents of the University of California. Hernández worked as a top manager at the famous Johnson Space Center in Texas. Earlier in his life, he helped build life-saving medical devices at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His amazing life story became an award-winning biographical movie called A Million Miles Away. In the film, actor Michael Peña plays the role of Hernández.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up
Hernández was born in French Camp, California, on August 7, 1962. He spent his early childhood years growing up around Stockton, California. His family came from the town of La Piedad in Michoacán, Mexico. His parents traveled back and forth between Mexico and California every year. As a young boy, Hernández worked outdoors as a farmworker alongside his parents. They harvested fruits and vegetables, moving from one town to another across California.
Because of this constant travel, young Hernández moved between many schools. He did not learn how to speak English until he was twelve years old. In 1972, he watched the Apollo 17 Moon landing on an old television set. Seeing astronauts walk on the Moon made him dream of flying to outer space. He decided right then that he would study hard to become an astronaut.
School and College Education
Hernández attended Franklin High School in Stockton, where he focused on mathematics and science. In high school, he joined Upward Bound, a special Federal TRIO program helping students reach college. He became the first person in his family to attend university. This made him a proud first-generation college student.
He studied hard and earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. He received this degree from the University of the Pacific in 1984. He then attended the University of California, Santa Barbara for advanced studies. In 1986, he graduated with a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering. While studying, he joined the (MESA) program to support science students.
Engineering and Scientific Discoveries
From 1990 to 2001, Hernández worked as an engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He worked on complex electronics, computer systems, and advanced imaging technology in Livermore, California.
During his time there, Hernández helped create new tools for digital mammography. This high-tech system captured detailed X-ray pictures of human tissue without photographic film. This invention changed medicine because it allowed the early detection of breast cancer. Because of his life-saving scientific work, the laboratory gave him their Outstanding Engineer Award.
Journey to Becoming an Astronaut
In 2001, Hernández moved to Houston, Texas, to work at the Johnson Space Center. He applied many times to join the astronaut corps, but NASA turned him down. NASA rejected his application eleven times, but he never gave up his dream. He learned how to scuba dive, earned a pilot license, and learned Russian. Finally, in May 2004, NASA selected him for NASA Astronaut Group 19.
Hernández began intense astronaut candidate training to prepare for dangerous spaceflights. He studied the complex computers of the International Space Station and the shuttle. He practiced flying in the T-38 Talon supersonic jet during demanding flight training. His classes also covered water rescue and harsh wilderness survival skills in remote forests.
Underwater Laboratory Mission
In May 2007, Hernández took part in an extreme training mission called NEEMO 12. He trained as an aquanaut living deep under the Atlantic Ocean. He lived aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory for eleven days straight. This undersea habitat allowed astronauts to simulate the isolation of living inside a spacecraft.
Flying on Mission STS-128
NASA assigned Hernández as a mission specialist and flight engineer for mission STS-128. On August 28, 2009, Space Shuttle Discovery blasted into orbit toward the space station. During the mission, Hernández helped move tons of scientific equipment into the space station. While floating high above Earth, he made history by tweeting in the Spanish language. It was the very first time anyone had sent a Spanish tweet from space.
The shuttle orbited Earth for nearly fourteen days, circling our planet hundreds of times. The successful mission concluded on September 11, 2009, landing safely at Edwards Air Force Base. The landing finished Hernández's journey of nearly six million miles through space.
Work in Politics and Public Service
Hernández retired from NASA in January 2011 to serve his community. President Barack Obama encouraged him to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Hernández joined the Democratic Party to help work on education and economy policies. He ran for election in California's 10th congressional district near his childhood home.
A political group challenged his ballot title in Sacramento County Superior Court. The court confirmed that Hernández could officially call himself an astronaut on voting ballots. He won the primary election after earning support from the political group Democracy for America. He was also supported by the group called the Dean Dozen. Labor groups like the California Labor Federation, part of the AFL-CIO, supported him too.
In the November 2012 general election, Hernández ran against Republican Jeff Denham. Hernández earned forty-six percent of the total vote, but his opponent won the seat. Later, he considered entering the race for the 9th district, but decided not to run.
Personal Life and Community Work
José Hernández married his wife Adela, and together they have five children. For years, Adela ran a Mexican restaurant called Tierra Luna Grill near the space center. In Spanish, "Tierra Luna" means "Earth Moon." Hernández also owns a large vineyard located near Lodi, California.
In 2012, Hernández published his inspiring autobiography for young people and families. The book was titled Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut. This book was later adapted into the successful 2023 movie A Million Miles Away. Hernández even appeared in an episode of the animated television show The Casagrandes.
Awards and Honors
José Hernández has received many awards during his career as an engineer and astronaut:
- Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution (1995)
- Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists Medalla de Oro (1999)
- Commendation from the United States Department of Energy (2000)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Outstanding Engineer Award (2001)
- NASA Service Awards for his engineering work at the space agency (2002, 2003)
- Member of the Eta Kappa Nu engineering Honor Society (2006)
- Honorary LL.D. doctorate degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara (2006)
- The José Hernández Middle School in San Jose, California, was named after him
- Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2015)
- Medallion of Excellence from the University of the Pacific (2019)
See also
In Spanish: José Hernández (astronauta) para niños
- List of Hispanic astronauts
- 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California
- 2012 United States House of Representatives elections
