Rodolfo Neri Vela

Rodolfo Neri Vela
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) · Public domain · source
Name	Rodolfo Neri Vela
Birth date	1952-02-19
Birth place	Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Occupation	Engineer, Scientist, Astronaut
Alma mater	National Autonomous University of Mexico, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Known for	Payload specialist on STS-61-B

Rodolfo Neri Vela is a Mexican engineer and scientific researcher who served as a payload specialist on the United States Space Shuttle mission STS-61-B aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. He became the first Mexican national to fly on a crewed spaceflight and is associated with institutions such as the National Autonomous University of Mexico and international programs including collaborations with NASA and the United States. His flight linked Mexico to broader aerospace activities involving agencies like the European Space Agency and universities across North America.

Early life and education

Born in Chilpancingo, Guerrero in 1952, he completed early studies in Mexican institutions before moving to higher education at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). At UNAM he studied Electrical engineering and engaged with research centers connected to the Mexican Academy of Sciences and national laboratories that cooperated with the Instituto Politécnico Nacional. He later pursued graduate studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, linking his academic path to networks including MIT, Harvard University, and research collaborations with the National Science Foundation.

Career at UNAM and engineering work

Following graduate work, he returned to Mexico and joined UNAM as a faculty member and researcher, integrating into departments that collaborated with the Mexican Space Agency precursor entities and international partners such as NASA, the European Space Agency, and academic programs at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. His engineering work focused on telecommunications and satellite technology, interfacing with projects involving Mexsat concepts, telemetry systems used by Hughes Aircraft Company and companies like Hughes Network Systems, as well as experimental payloads mirroring designs from Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center. He participated in symposia alongside scholars from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, ITESM, and research groups tied to CONACYT.

Selection and training as an astronaut

He was selected as a payload specialist through bilateral arrangements involving the Mexican government and NASA just prior to the STS-61-B flight, entering a training program that took place at facilities including the Johnson Space Center and training simulators similar to those used for crews from Canada, Japan, and Germany. Training included operations with specialists from agencies such as the European Space Agency and collaborations with contractors like Rockwell International and McDonnell Douglas. His preparation encompassed spacecraft systems training, extravehicular activity procedures used by crews on missions like STS-41-B and STS-41-C, and payload operations influenced by experiments from Payload Specialist programs and academic payloads from institutions including Caltech and University of Colorado Boulder.

STS-61-B mission and spaceflight activities

On STS-61-B, launched in November 1985 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis, he served as payload specialist for experiments and telecommunications demonstrations involving satellite deployment technologies akin to those used by AMC and research satellites from CONAE and INPE. The mission featured activities similar to earlier missions such as STS-41-B and STS-61-A and involved coordination with mission control teams at the Johnson Space Center and tracking support from Kennedy Space Center and the California Spaceport community. During the flight he operated scientific payloads, contributed to materials processing experiments that paralleled work at Marshall Space Flight Center and Langley Research Center, and participated in experiments comparable to those conducted on Spacelab flights and by investigators from University of Texas at Austin and University of Arizona.

Later career, awards, and honors

After returning from STS-61-B he resumed academic and advisory roles at UNAM, engaging with programs connected to CONACYT, the Mexican Space Agency, and international collaborations with agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency. He received national recognition including honors associated with institutions like the National Polytechnic Institute and awards akin to decorations presented by the Government of Mexico and cultural institutions such as the National Museum of Anthropology for contributions linking science and public outreach. His career included outreach partnerships with universities including UNAM, ITESM, and scientific societies such as the Mexican Academy of Sciences and international bodies like the International Astronautical Federation.

Personal life and legacy

He has been active in public education and outreach, lecturing at organizations such as UNAM, participating in events with institutions like the Festival Internacional Cervantino, and contributing to initiatives associated with CONACYT and science museums including collaborations reminiscent of those with the Universum Museo de las Ciencias. His flight and career inspired partnerships between Mexican universities and international centers such as NASA, JAXA, Roscosmos-linked programs, and European research groups, influencing subsequent Mexican participation in satellite projects and educational exchanges with institutions like Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Stanford University, and University of California, Los Angeles. His legacy is reflected in honors from academic and governmental institutions and in the continued presence of Mexican scientists in international space activities.

Category:Mexican engineers Category:Space Shuttle program astronauts