Becoming An Astronaut
Franklin Chiang-Diaz
Franklin Chiang-Diaz is a legend of American Aeronautics, though you might never have heard his name. His story is that of generations of immigrants making an impact on the American landscape. His father, Ramon, was son to immigrants to China who fled the Boxer Rebellion to Central America.
These political refugees made it to a better life in Costa Rica. Franklin’s mother, Maria, was from Costa Rica. His father’s work in oil brought the family to America, where because Franklin excelled, he was able to take the family to unimaginable heights — the stars.
Franklin attended the University of Connecticut and there studied Mechanical Engineering. In mechanical engineering, one will study many examples of how materials are affected by different phenomena. For example, one would study Fluid Mechanics, understanding how fluid states react in a dynamic world. An example of a problem would be:
Franklin excelled and became part of the federal TRIO program’s Student Support Services. This federal aid for disadvantaged students enabled him to continue his education and attend MIT. He graduated just four years later with a Doctor of Science degree in Plasma Physics.
Needless to say, Plasma Physics is totally far out and would have great impact on his later life
Franklin was selected as an astronaut out of MIT. It took him 6 more years to get to space though. Once there, he decided it was a place he wanted to be, logging 7 space shuttle missions — a standing record. He was one of the astronauts who helped create the International Space Station, performing 3 space walks in the process.
Franklin went on to become the Director of the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory for 12 years. For all his achievements in space, he was named to the NASA Astronaut Hall of Fame.
After NASA, Chiang-Diaz created the Ad Astra Rocket Company to work on new and innovative rocket propulsion ideas.
He specifically works in fusion technology and plasma-based rocket propulsion. He has developed the VASIMR electromagnetic thruster for space craft propulsion.
