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Most people hope to find a career that is out of this world, but for Joe Acaba, the dream has become a reality.
Acaba, who was chosen by NASA as one of three educators for the 2004 astronaut class, spoke Thursday and Friday to students across Lubbock, with two appearances at Texas Tech.
As a former middle school and high school teacher, Acaba said he wanted students to focus on the importance of diversity of experience early on in their academic careers.
Prior to his teaching career, Acaba, was a member of both the Marine Corps and the Peace Corps, experiences he said he believes made him stand out during the astronaut selection process. He said although it was never his goal in life to become an astronaut, his interest in the space program formed when he was young boy watching videos of the moon landings with his father.
"Back then I remember thinking that was something I wanted to do," he said. "Because of life's choices I didn't think that could happen until I saw the ad on the Internet that said NASA was looking for educators."
While speaking to engineering students Friday at Tech, Acaba said the process of becoming an astronaut is both mentally and physically demanding, even during the interview process.
"Sixty to 70 percent of our time was spent in the clinic for the interview," he said. "It was a heck of a physical, but that's really what kept a lot of people out."
Acaba said much of the experience he gained during the 18-month basic astronaut training course focused on team-building and working in a high-stress environment as opposed to the more technical aspects of the job.
"We're not all rocket scientists," he said. "We're just the trained monkeys that flip the switches, but we have to learn to work under pressure."
Though there were many facets of training where this mentality was applicable, Acaba said he believed the training he received in piloting super-sonic jets was where the need to act quickly under pressure became vital.
"When you're moving that fast things are happening pretty quickly," he said. "If you ever have time to look around and say, 'Ooh, it's a nice day outside,' then there's something you should be doing."
Acaba said because he does not expect to make his first trip into space until sometime after 2009, he hopes students in the engineering field will continue to develop technology that will be an integral part of the future of the space program.
"People ask why it's so expensive and why it takes so long to get into space. It's because everything has to be certified," he said. "The technology you are certifying right now takes a lot less time because of the programming being developed."
Jeff Woldstad, associate dean in the College of Engineering, said he believes Acaba's presentation was very informative for students interested in the future of space travel.
"In terms of the space program, we have research programs, but we really don't have too much to help them beside what they figure out they want to do on their own," Woldstad said. "I think he's just here to talk about NASA and what's going on."
Didiana Rojas, a junior chemical engineering major from El Paso and member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, said she was glad her group could host Acaba in the College of Engineering because she believes his presentation addressed key projects facing the engineers of the future.
"It's really interesting just knowing how his training was and how he got to where he was being an educator," Rojas said. "I'm actually interested in biomedical engineering, and I've always wanted to work with NASA since I was little."
Acaba said being an astronaut is an experience he could never have passed up, but he knows the classroom will always be there.
"Teachers go out and inspire everyday," he said. "I never would have left the classroom for anything other than being an astronaut."
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