Photo: NASA / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
José Hernández is the kind of story I never get tired of telling. A Mexican-American kid with farmworker roots in California who was reportedly rejected by NASA eleven times before finally being accepted, and then actually flew aboard the Space Shuttle in 2009. That persistence moves me more than any single achievement. Engineer, astronaut, businessman, and now a Regent of the University of California, he keeps climbing while staying grounded in where he came from. What I respect is not just the talent but the refusal to quit, a reminder that the hardest part of any dream is simply not letting go.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jose M. Hernandez
- Name (Japanese)
- ホセ・ヘルナンデス
- Reading
- ほせ・へるなんです
- Born
- August 7, 1962 (age 63)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Tiger
- Origin
- French Camp, California, United States
- Occupation
- astronaut / engineer / businessperson
2. Background
- High school
- Franklin High School
- University
- University of the Pacific
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Ohtli Award
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jose M. Hernandez born?
Born August 7, 1962 (age 63).
Where is Jose M. Hernandez from?
Jose M. Hernandez is from French Camp, California, United States.
What does Jose M. Hernandez do?
Jose M. Hernandez works as astronaut, engineer, businessperson.
Astronaut — see all → · Engineer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.