NASA Astronaut Starts Agency's First Bilingual Twitter

NASA ^ | 07/02/09 | NASA

[Moonman62]

HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez, set to fly aboard space shuttle Discovery in August, is providing insights about his training on Twitter in both English and Spanish. It will be the agency's first bilingual Twitter.

Hernandez, who considers Stockton, Calif., his hometown, grew up in a migrant farming family, travelling each year between Mexico and California. He did not learn English until the age of 12.

Hernandez, whose Twitter account is astro_jose, can be followed at:

http://www.twitter.com/astro_jose

"I was inspired to pursue a dream to one day work in space while listening to the radio news about space exploration while working in the fields of northern California," Hernandez said. "I hope to spread that excitement about space, science and engineering and inspire others to follow their dreams by sharing my activities and interacting with my followers on Twitter."

Selected as an astronaut by NASA in May 2004, Hernandez will make his first spaceflight on the STS-128 shuttle mission that will continue assembly of the International Space Station. During the mission, he will oversee the transfer of supplies and equipment between the shuttle and station, assist with robotics operations and serve as a flight engineer in the shuttle cockpit during launch and landing. It will be the first shuttle mission to feature two Latino astronauts. Danny Olivas, who also is of Mexican descent, is among Hernandez's six crewmates.

[Moonman62]

This press release is also available in Spanish.

[spald]

Alan Sheppard starting doing this back in the late 50's.

[DoughtyOne]

Hernandez, who considers Stockton, Calif., his hometown, grew up in a migrant farming family, travelling each year between Mexico and California. He did not learn English until the age of 12.

What a golden age we live in...

[La Lydia]

José Hernández was born in French Camp, California, but calls Stockton, California as his hometown. He is currently assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128. An engineer, Hernandez also served as chief of the Materials and Processes branch of Johnson Space Center. He previously developed equipment for full-field digital mammography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Here is a son of immigrants who has integrated fully into American society and life, speaks fluent English and has made good. I think he is admirable.

[Jonah Hex]

I see your Jose, and raise you...

[Just_de_facts]

His biography and education just scream affirmative action candidate. I also see no military service. Was there not one qualified veteran or active duty armed forces member who could have taken this slot. Someone else has actually earned the right to be there. Someone who is a citizen of this country.

[La Lydia]

There might be affirmative action at work in NASA, but I somehow doubt that full-field digital mammography research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is conducted by EEOC hires, and especially EEOC hires who are awarded Livermore's Outstanding Engineer award before ever joining NASA. He was born in this country and lived here all his life. He holds two degrees, B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of the Pacific and M.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of California-Santa Barbara. He was in charge of Livermore's Chemistry and Material Science Group and was deputy head of its Highly Enriched Uranium Implementation Program. He is not a politician, he is an engineer.

So what is it you don't like about him? That he is bi-lingual? Well, so am I.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Being a highly-skilled scientist/engineer is a more important prerequiste for being an astronaut than military service, and this man is that...

[DoughtyOne]

Yes La Lydia, he was born in this nation. Was he born legally in this nation? Well that’s certainly an interesting question isn’t it.

Look, this is the United States. We function in English here. Our businesses function in English. Our government functions in English. We educate in English. So when someone starts communicating in another language for public purposes, it encourages young kids to think that English isn’t so important after all.

The best way for kids to achieve success in this nation, is to get the firmest grasp of English they can at the earliest opportunity. ANY encouragement to the contrary is counter-productive.

Yes this person does have two degrees. That he has applied himself and isn’t a drain on society is to be commended, just as it would be for any other citizen.

I don’t see a problem with him being assigned to the position he has. He’s worked on the SDI effort, so he must have a good competency at his skills.

I will tell you, the one thing that doesn’t speak quite as well of him is this, his membership in the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES).

Can you please tell me why people from minority groups feel so compelled to break off into racially structured organizations. Look, it’s his right to freely assemble as he desires. It’s also my right to observe and make assessments. Coupled with his multi-lingual twitter, it speaks volumes.

He has evidently achieved much in this nation. It would be nice to see him act like it’s language and all it’s people were worthy of his association and respect.

[La Lydia]

Can you please tell me why people from minority groups feel so compelled to break off into racially structured organizations. I agree with you 100 percent on this. I find these groups absurd. Imagine an Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Association of Engineers.

Coupled with his multi-lingual twitter, it speaks volumes. I can assure you the multilingual tweet was not his idea, it was the NASA's public affairs shop's idea, and some political appointee went along with it. Like I said, he is not a politician, he is an engineer, and a very serious one at that. It never would have occurred to him to tweet at all, let alone in Spanish.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the agreement. I think you’ve touched on a great point on the second part. I’ll have to agree with that too.

I think learning new languages is great. So don’t get me wrong. It just rubs me the wrong way to see other languages glorified in the U.S., in situations like this.

[musicbymuzak]

guaranteed if i ran a company there’d be no “press 2 for spanish” option

[Moonman62]

His accomplishments are commendable. What impresses me is he accomplished all that without some astronaut pandering to him in Spanish.

I do agree that someone in NASA or some politician is putting him up to this.