Ellen Ochoa was born 1958, in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Grossmont High School, in La Mesa, California, in 1975. Ellen Ochoa trained a class to a winning award in a Orchestra. Ellen Ochoa liked school when she was a kid.

She received a bachelor's degree and doctorate in a electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1981.  She was a member of Optical Society of America also known as OSA. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics also known as, AIAA, Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi Honor Societies. In 1990, Ellen was selected by NASA. Two years later she flew on a space shuttle. It was the STS-56 in April,1993.  NASA awards include: the Exceptional Service Medal ( in 1997). Outstanding Leadership Medal ( in 1995). Space Flight Medal ( in 2002, 1999, 1994, and 1993 ). she also received two Space Act Awards ( in 1992 ).

Recipient of numerous other awards like the Woman in Aerospace, and the Outstanding Achievement Award. Ellen Ochoa is still alive and her dream is to build a space station. She said " Critical to human exploration in space.''   She also said "A transportaion mode to frontiers.'' Ellen missed working at NASA in 1987. Ellen Ochoa is married and now she has two kids. Right now she is about 48 years old. When she was eleven, Sally Ride was the first astronaut, so she decided to become a astronaut also. In 1991, Ellen Ochoa flew on two space flights. Ellen Ochoa's computer hardware caught NASA's attention. She flew on many great space ships. One time she was in space for 978 hours. She applied to NASA herself .
Ellen has won a lot of awards for being a successful engineer, a role model, and an astronaut.

Her awards were not just for being a Hispanic female scientist, Ochoa believes that excellence will find the reward and recognition. A single parent of five, Ellen earned a college degree while she was raising her children and the family. She is married to Coe Fulmer. She has two kids and loves riding her own bike. She loves volley ball and biking. Ellen Ochoa's mentor was her mom.

Ellen Ochoa is a co-conventer for three patents for an inspection system. A recognition was given for her development of a device for noise removal in images. She continues to do reasearch and gives presentations to school children. Ellen liked school. Ellen said " Being a astronaut is almost like learning what you did in school." " If you are motivated you are motivated in others and NASA looks for that."

Ellen has preformed technical assignments at Johnson Space Center. She  once directed the crew in the International Space Station. Thats NASA's highest priority. It was a ten day flight. She flew on the space ship called STS-96. She also flew on a spaceship called the STS-110. It was the thirteenth space shuttle mission.

At NASA she was a payload commander. The first time Space Shuttle crew's space walk was based on a quest called '' The Quest Airlock''. Ellen Ochoa studied about ATLAS 2 and ATLAS 3. They were satellites.

Dr.Ochoa, along with the crew members, operated the Station's Robotic Arm to install.
She was on a space ship called...STS-96.She says that " I have probaly given many speeches the past few years." Her daughter say's..." She studied what ever interested her.". . She admits that the viewing of space was part of the attraction. Her dream is to build a space station.  Ellen Ochoa was a really great astronaut and she was also the first female Hispanic astronaut.  Ellen ( the middle child ) has reached inspiring new heights.

Credits:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/ochoa.html

http://www.atomicmuseum.com/tour/sc1.cfm

http://soe.stanford.edu/AR97-98/ochoa.html

http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/ochoa.html
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Pictures: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/ochoa.html
             http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-110/html/jsc2002e08185.html