Dr. Ellen Ochoa is a trailblazing figure who broke boundaries with her groundbreaking achievements in science, technology, and space exploration. She is famous for being the first Hispanic woman to travel into space when she served on the nine-day STS-56 mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1993. Dive into some of the best Ellen Ochoa quotes that will inspire you to believe in yourself and follow your dreams.
Born on May 10, 1958, in Los Angeles, California, Ellen Lauri Ochoa is an American engineer, former NASA astronaut, and former director of the Johnson Space Center.
After high school, Ochoa graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics.
She then earned her master of science degree and a doctorate from the Stanford Department of Electrical Engineering before becoming a NASA astronaut.
Ochoa joined NASA in 1988 as a research engineer at Ames Research Center and moved to Johnson Space Center in 1990 when she was selected as an astronaut. Ochoa has flown in space four times. logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit.
As a pioneering astronaut, Ochoa has shattered barriers and inspired millions with her commitment to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.
With her remarkable achievements in aerospace engineering, she has become a role model for aspiring scientists and explorers around the world.
Ochoa has received many awards including NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, Exceptional Service Medal, Outstanding Leadership Medal, and four Space Flight Medals. She was inducted into the 2018 International Air and Space Hall of Fame class.
Her journey is not just a story about reaching for the stars, but is a symbol of courage, determination, and breaking barriers.
Check out these inspirational Ellen Ochoa quotes to get inspired, motivated, and thrive for excellence.
Top 10 Ellen Ochoa Quotes
- “Don’t be afraid to reach for the stars.” — Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa Quotes - “Education is what allows you to stand out.” — Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa Famous Quotes - “Being an astronaut is a wonderful career. I feel very privileged.” — Ellen Ochoa
Quotes From Ellen Ochoa - “Curiosity is probably one of the most important characteristics that people have who go into science.” — Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa Quote - “Astronauts are very professional and when they’re preparing for launch, they prepare for it as the most serious endeavor of our lives.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I’ll tell you, being involved in human space flight, it is an emotional endeavor. I think it brings in the highest highs and the lowest lows.” — Ellen Ochoa
Quotes By Ellen Ochoa - “What I really hope for young people is that they find a career they’re passionate about, something that’s challenging and worthwhile.” — Ellen Ochoa
Best Ellen Ochoa Quotes - “I tell students that the opportunities I had were a result of having a good educational background. Education is what allows you to stand out.” — Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa Quotes And Sayings - “We are involved in technology development for, you know, missions that we hope to plan that would take us to an asteroid and eventually to Mars.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I hope to continue to inspire our nation’s youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math so they, too, may reach for the stars.” — Ellen Ochoa
Inspirational Ellen Ochoa Quotes
Famous Quotes By Ellen Ochoa
- “I was always drawn to teachers who made class interesting.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “It’s fun to work the robotic arm in part because it’s really a team effort.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I don’t recall any interest in science in particular. It came later in college.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “The review committee has left it to NASA to determine the scope of these alleged incidents.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “We run the programs, and we support them through all of our folks, but usually the hardware is somewhere else.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “We continue to not only operate the International Space Station but to increase its capabilities as well as commercial contributions.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I’m honored to be recognized among generations of astronauts who were at the forefront of exploring our universe for the benefit of humankind.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “We are constantly emphasizing to people that they need to address anything that affects flight safety or mission success – many pathways to do that.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “Well, with so many space shuttle missions that we’ve done, I think it’s just sort of natural that each one hasn’t necessarily gotten the attention that the early ones did.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “What everyone in the astronaut corps shares in common is not gender or ethnic background, but motivation, perseverance, and desire – the desire to participate in a voyage of discovery.” — Ellen Ochoa
Best Ochoa Quotes
- “I’m not trying to make every kid an astronaut, but I want kinds to think about a career and the preparation they’ll need.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I realized how important it was to know something about aviation, and it was something I was interested in, so I followed my brother’s footsteps and obtained my pilot’s license.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “A hallmark of the Latino community is to help one another, if students are interested in a way to give back and help their communities, becoming a teacher is probably one of the very best ways of doing that.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “This was the last astronaut job that was not (yet) done by a woman. Now with this milestone we can focus on the fact that what is important to succeed in life, it does not matter whether you are a man or a woman.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “There was a lot of light and a lot of rumbling and vibration, especially the first minute or minute-and-a-half. And then after about two minutes, when the solid rocket boosters separated, the ride got a lot smoother.” — Ellen Ochoa
More Ochoa Quotes And Sayings
- “These robotic arms, provided by Canada, have been invaluable in allowing us to build, maintain, and repair space structures, and I’ve been very fortunate to have gotten to operate them.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “That’s what we want to do here at Johnson Space Center. I think what we have always brought to NASA and brought to the country is trying to push the boundaries, trying to go to the next level.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “Usually, girls weren’t encouraged to go to college and major in math and science. My high school calculus teacher, Ms. Paz Jensen, made math appealing and motivated me to continue studying it in college.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I think of it as a good opportunity to let, in particular, school kids know that this job and other interesting jobs in science and engineering are open to anyone who works hard in school and gets a good education and studies math and science. And that it’s not just for a select group of people.” — Ellen Ochoa
- “I was born in 1958, the same year NASA was established, which I like to think of as not a coincidence. I was 11 when they landed on the moon, Apollo Eleven. And, of course, everybody in the whole world was watching that. But I can tell you, at that time, nobody ever asked a girl, ‘Is that something you want to grow up and do?’” — Ellen Ochoa
Interesting Facts About Ellen Ochoa
Born: May 10, 1958 (age 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education: San Diego State University (BS) & Stanford University (MS, PhD)
Married To: Coe Miles
Occupation: Astronaut, engineer, and scientist
Time in space: 41d 19h 35m
Selection: NASA Astronaut Group 13 (1990)
Missions: STS-56, STS-66, STS-96, & STS-110
Famous For: Being the first Latina woman to travel to space. She was also the first Hispanic director and the second female director of the Johnson Space Center.
Hobby: Ellen Ochoa is an accomplished flautist (flute player). She received the Student Soloist Award with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and played the flute with the San Diego State marching band.
To Know More About Ellen Ochoa
- How Ellen Ochoa: the first Hispanic woman in space
- A Conversation with Ellen Ochoa
- Celebrating Women’s History Month: Ellen Ochoa
- Women and Girls in Science Podcast Series
Conclusion
These famous quotes by Ellen Ochoa reflect her views on personal growth, diversity, and the pursuit of one’s passions.
If you love these quotes, please feel free to share them with your friends and family on Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, and more to motivate them.
