Photo: NASA on The Commons / No restrictions (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Ellen Ochoa is the kind of pioneer I admire most, because she did not stop at the headline. Yes, in 1993 she became the first Latina in space, and the wall of NASA medals speaks for itself. But what genuinely moves me is that she later ran the Johnson Space Center, trading the cockpit for leadership and opening doors for everyone behind her. A Stanford-trained engineer from Los Angeles, she turned a singular achievement into a lifetime of building paths for others. That combination of personal courage and institutional impact is rare, and it makes her a far richer figure than any single milestone could capture.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ellen Ochoa
- Name (Japanese)
- エレン・オチョア
- Reading
- えれん・おちょあ
- Born
- May 10, 1958 (age 68)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Dog
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- astronaut / engineer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Grossmont High School
- University
- Stanford University
Awards & achievements
- 2015 California Hall of Fame
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- 1995 NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
- 1997 NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- 1999 NASA Space Flight Medal
- 2000 NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- 2002 NASA Space Flight Medal
- 2003 NASA Distinguished Service Medal
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Ellen Ochoa born?
Born May 10, 1958 (age 68).
Where is Ellen Ochoa from?
Ellen Ochoa is from Los Angeles, California, United States.
What does Ellen Ochoa do?
Ellen Ochoa works as astronaut, engineer.
Astronaut — see all → · Engineer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.