Ellen Ochoa

American engineer and former astronaut · United States · On the map · Scientists · Born 1958 · age 68

Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer, former astronaut and former director of the Johnson Space Center. In 1993, Ochoa became the first Latina to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Ellen Ochoa is read about 406 times a day, in 36 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 400 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2024Presidential Medal of FreedomAward2015California Hall of FameAward2012Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAward2003NASA Distinguished Service MedalAward2002NASA Space Flight MedalAward2000NASA Exceptional Service MedalAward1999NASA Space Flight MedalAward1997NASA Exceptional Service MedalAward1995NASA Outstanding Leadership MedalAward1958Born10 May 1958

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Media & music

Photos 3

Ochoa aboard Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-56 in 1993

Ochoa in 2014

Awards

Presidential Medal of Freedom2024

California Hall of Fame2015

Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science2012

NASA Distinguished Service Medal2003

NASA Space Flight Medal2002

NASA Exceptional Service Medal2000

NASA Space Flight Medal1999

NASA Exceptional Service Medal1997

NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal1995

United States Astronaut Hall of Fame

Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

About this person

Ochoa became director of the center upon the retirement of the previous director, Michael Coats, on December 31, 2012. She was the first Latina director and the second female director of Johnson Space Center.

Country

United States