Pioneers of the Sky

Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz

Dr. Franklin Chang-Díaz was a Costa Rican-American physicist, mechanical engineer, and former NASA astronaut. He flew on seven Space Shuttle missions between 1986 and 2002, tying the record for most spaceflights. A pioneer in advanced propulsion, he founded Ad Astra Rocket Company to develop the VASIMR engine, a technology aimed at enabling faster space travel. Chang-Díaz was the first Hispanic astronaut at NASA and remains a powerful advocate for science, education, and the future of space exploration.