Ellen Ochoa: The First Female Hispanic Astronaut

Ellen Ochoa, the first female Hispanic astronaut, broke barriers in a male-dominated space industry. Raised in La Mesa, California, she pursued science over music, excelling in physics and earning a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford. Inspired by Sally Ride, Ochoa overcame initial NASA rejections, eventually becoming the first Hispanic American woman in space. She logged nearly 1,000 hours in space and became the first Hispanic director of the Johnson Space Center. Her story highlights the importance of equal opportunities for all races and genders in space exploration.

What was Ellen Ochoa's initial career interest before she pursued science?

• Engineering

• Music

• Mathematics

• Astronomy

Who inspired Ellen Ochoa to pursue a career in space exploration?

• Mae Jemison

• Valentina Tereshkova

• Sally Ride

• Christa McAuliffe

How many attempts did it take for Ellen Ochoa to be accepted into NASA's training program?

• One

• Two

• Three

• Four

What was a significant first that Ellen Ochoa achieved during her space missions?

• First person to conduct a spacewalk

• First person to play the flute in space

• First Hispanic woman to command a space shuttle

• First woman to walk on the moon

What position did Ellen Ochoa hold at the Johnson Space Center in 2013?

• Mission Commander

• Director

• Chief Scientist

• Flight Engineer