FANNY ZUNIGA

I am currently working on developing new design tools and processes that will incorporate new information technologies to help design better performing and safer space vehicles. We are currently using these new technologies to help design the new Crew Transfer Vehicle. This new space vehicle will serve the International Space Station as an emergency lifeboat. The vehicle, unlike the Space Shuttle, will be fully autonomous and will have to fly itself back down to Earth carrying injured or disabled crew members in the event of an emergency on board the Space Station. Since this new vehicle will have to fly itself, we need to make sure it's designed to fly very safely and be able to recover from unexpected problems, such as power failures or fuel leakages, and changing environments, such as windy or stormy weather. The new information technologies or intelligent software we're developing will help the vehicle's computer make such critical decisions.

Although the Space Shuttle is a very reliable and safe vehicle, it was designed in the 1970's with technology that is now considered outdated. Our goal is to develop new technologies that will help design better space vehicles that will reduce costs and maintenance while improving flight safety, flight maneuverability and autonomous control. I am very excited to be working on this new project. It is very rewarding to know that this new work will be contributing to a new generation of space vehicles that will make space flight less expensive and safer for everyone.

Since I was very young, I always loved math and science. And as long as I can remember I always wanted to work for NASA. I fell in love with NASA and the space program back in the days of the Apollo lunar program. Ever since then it was always my dream to work for such an honorable and prestigious organization and to make my own contribution to science and space exploration some day. However, I knew it wasn't going to be easy to achieve my dreams. I had many obstacles and barriers to overcome first.

I grew up in a single-parent family which had just immigrated to this country from Latin America so I had language difficulties, cultural barriers and financial difficulties to overcome. From where I grew up, my dreams really seemed far-fetched and unrealistic. Most people around me did not offer a lot of encouragement to me either. Fortunately, I was self-motivated enough to work extremely hard and earn a four-year academic scholarship to Syracuse University where I earned a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering. After graduation, I was extremely fortunate enough to land my first engineering job at NASA. I have since then earned a master of science degree in aerospace engineering from USC and am currently working on my Ph.D. degree at Stanford University.

I am still working very hard to realize my ultimate dream to become an astronaut. A few years ago I was chosen as a finalist for the Astronaut Candidate program and was invited to go to Johnson Space Center-Houston and try out with a group of about 100 finalists. Although I did not make the final cut that year, it was an unbelievable accomplishment and experience for me. It was a dream I thought I never would come close to achieving. It is truly incredible what you can achieve when you pour your heart and soul into your dreams. I will definitely keep trying out for the Astronaut Corps and do whatever it takes for however long it may take to one day achieve this dream of mine.

My advice to you is to never, ever give up on your dreams no matter how unrealistic they may appear to be. You must always believe in yourself and be committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve even the impossible. Remember you owe it to yourself to find your special talent and this will be your special gift to the world.

Archive of chats with Fanny:

• 04-25-02 Webchat
• 2-22 - 2-24-00 Forum
• 10-14-98 QuestChat
• 3-03-98 QuestChat
• 1-6-98 QuestChat
• 6-11-96 Web Chat

Fanny also has weekly journals of her wind tunnel tests with the high speed civil transport, which is the passenger airplane of the future.