José M. Hernández facts for kids

Quick facts for kids José Hernández
Official portrait, 2009
Born	José Moreno Hernández (1962-08-07) August 7, 1962 (age 62) French Camp, California, U.S.
Space career
NASA astronaut
Time in space	13d 20h 54m
Selection	NASA Group 19 (2004)
Missions	STS-128
Mission insignia
Retirement	January 14, 2011

José Moreno Hernández (born August 7, 1962) is an amazing Mexican-American engineer and astronaut. He is currently a Regent for the University of California system.

Hernández flew into space on the Space Shuttle mission STS-128 in August 2009. He also led the Materials and Processes branch at Johnson Space Center. Before becoming an astronaut, Hernández helped create special equipment. This equipment was used for digital mammography, which helps detect breast cancer early.

In 2011, President Barack Obama encouraged Hernández to run for Congress. He ran as a Democrat in California. He won his party's nomination but lost the main election in 2012.

A movie about his life, called A Million Miles Away, was released in 2023. Actor Michael Peña plays José Hernández in the film.

Early Life and Education

José Hernández was born in French Camp, California. However, he considers Stockton, California, his hometown. His family originally came from La Piedad, Michoacán, Mexico. As a child, José lived half the year in Mexico and half in the United States.

He worked with his family as farmworkers in California's fields. They harvested crops and moved from town to town. José went to many different schools. He did not learn to speak English until he was 12 years old. His first memory of space was watching the Apollo 17 mission on TV in 1972.

During high school, José joined a program called Upward Bound. This program helps students prepare for college. He graduated from Franklin High School in Stockton. José was the first in his family to go to college.

He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of the Pacific in 1984. In 1986, he earned a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering. This was from the University of California, Santa Barbara. While in college, he was part of the MESA program. MESA helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Engineering Career

From 1990 to 2001, Hernández worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This lab is located in Livermore, California. He helped develop a special tool for digital mammography. This invention helps doctors find breast cancer at an early stage.

NASA Career

Hernández (center, bottom) inside Node 1 of the ISS during STS-128

In 2001, Hernández joined the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

NASA turned him down eleven times for astronaut training. But José didn't give up! In May 2004, he was finally selected. By February 2006, he finished his astronaut training. This training included learning about the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. He also had flight training in a T-38 Talon jet. He even learned survival skills in water and the wilderness. After training, he helped prepare the Space Shuttle for launches and landings.

In May 2007, Hernández became an aquanaut. He lived and worked underwater for eleven days. This was part of the NEEMO 12 mission. It took place in the Aquarius underwater laboratory.

On July 15, 2008, Hernández was chosen as a mission specialist for the STS-128 mission. The mission launched on August 28, 2009. While in space, Hernández made history. He became the first person to use the Spanish language while tweeting from orbit!

The STS-128 mission lasted 13 days. It landed on September 11, 2009, at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Political Career

In 2011, José Hernández announced he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives. President Barack Obama had encouraged him to consider it. He officially announced his candidacy on Twitter.

During his campaign, there was a legal challenge. A law firm tried to stop him from using "astronaut/scientist/engineer" on the ballot. They argued that "astronaut" isn't a job you keep for life. However, a judge ruled that Hernández could use the description.

In November 2012, Hernández ran against Congressman Jeff Denham. He lost the election, getting 46 percent of the votes.

Since then, Hernández has sometimes talked about running for office again. He considered challenging a representative in 2022 but did not run.

Political Views

Immigration

After his space mission, Hernández spoke on Mexican television. He said the United States should make it legal for undocumented immigrants to live there. He does not support temporary worker programs.

Fiscal Policy

Hernández supported California's Proposition 30. This was a plan to increase income taxes for high earners. It also raised sales tax slightly for everyone. Hernández believes a mix of tax increases and budget cuts is needed. This would help balance the federal budget.

Personal Life

Hernández c. 2021

José Hernández and his wife, Adela, have five children. For several years, Adela ran a Mexican restaurant. It was called Tierra Luna Grill, which means Earth Moon Grill in Spanish. The restaurant was located near the Johnson Space Center.

Hernández also owns a 20-acre vineyard. It is located near Lodi, California. In 2021, he started bottling wine under the name Tierra Luna Cellars.

In 2023, a film about Hernández's NASA journey was released. It is called A Million Miles Away. The movie stars Michael Peña as José Hernández. It is based on José's 2012 autobiography. The book is titled “Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut.”

Awards and Honors

José Hernández has received many awards and honors:

• Graduate Engineering Minority Fellow (GEM) (1985)
• Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award, "Outstanding Technical Contribution" (1995)
• Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) "Medalla de Oro" (Gold Medal) (1999)
• U.S. Department of Energy "Outstanding Performance Commendation" (2000)
• NASA Service Awards (2002, 2003)
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory "Outstanding Engineer Award" (2001)
• Upward Bound National TRIO Achiever Award (2001)
• Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society member (2006)
• An honorary LL.D. degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara (2006)
• José Hernández Middle School, in San Jose, California, is named after him.
• University of California, Santa Barbara 2015 Distinguished Alumnus
• United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, 2016 National Hispanic Hero Award
• University of the Pacific 2019 Medallion of Excellence

Filmography

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