Pedro Rodriguez (NASA)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Pedro Rodriguez, Ph.D., (born 1953), is the Director of a test laboratory at NASA
and inventor of a portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis
.
salsa
singer, Pellin Rodríguez
and Elba Lopez Perez, who met in New York while Pellin's band was touring. Rodriguez is the first of three children for the couple. As a child, Rodriguez was always surrounded by musical instruments and by personalities from the entertainment world. He wanted to become a musician like his father, but his father objected because he wanted Pedro to get a college education. The family settled in the city of Bayamón, Puerto Rico
. There, young Pedro started to become more interested in the field of science than in the field of music. During his school years, he excelled in the subjects of math and science. In 1971, Rodriguez graduated from La Salle High School with honors.
Rodriguez enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
and changed majors four times before deciding to become an engineer. He earned a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
in 1976. That same year, recruiters from NASA were conducting interviews at the campus. He was hired by NASA as an engineer, designing special test equipment at the Marshall Space Flight Center
in Alabama
. Since then, Rodriguez has held several positions at NASA.
to pursue a masters degree. While pursuing his masters, Rodriguez moved to Florida
and worked on jet engines for NASA contractor Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies company. He earned his masters degree in mechanical engineering in 1982. In 1997, he earned his doctorate in civil engineering
, from the University of Mississippi
.
Rodriguez was the leader of the Solid Rocket Booster accident investigation team following the Space Shuttle Columbia
accident in February 2003 and was also the project manager for the Space Launch Initiative program. Rodriguez is currently the Director of the test laboratory in the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. He is responsible for the engineering services and facilities for environmental, structural, and propulsion testing of NASA programs assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center. Among his duties are: research, development, qualification, and acceptance testing of critical space and flight hardware, as well as the testing of relevant development hardware.
Document ID: 19870008022; Report Number: NAS 1.1586579, NASA-TM-86579
Document ID: 19880000452; Report Number: MFS-27179
Document ID: 19940012046; Report Number: NAS 1.15108428, NASA-TM-108428
Document ID: 19980005952
Document ID: 20010020951
Document ID: 20010020953
, and The Marshall Center Directors Commendation Award as "Outstanding Hispanic Employee". The Puerto Rican Senate recognized Dr. Rodriguez with a resolution marking his engineering achievement.
and of the American Society of Civil Engineers
. He currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama
.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and inventor of a portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
.
Early years
Pedro Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, New York to the Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer, Pellin Rodríguez
Pellin Rodríguez
Pellín Rodríguez , was a Salsa singer. Rodríguez was a member of the musical group El Gran Combo and toured with them all over Europe and Latin America, gaining fame and popularity as a singer. In addition to his singing capabilities, Rodríguez had great comedic abilities and participated on...
and Elba Lopez Perez, who met in New York while Pellin's band was touring. Rodriguez is the first of three children for the couple. As a child, Rodriguez was always surrounded by musical instruments and by personalities from the entertainment world. He wanted to become a musician like his father, but his father objected because he wanted Pedro to get a college education. The family settled in the city of Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
. There, young Pedro started to become more interested in the field of science than in the field of music. During his school years, he excelled in the subjects of math and science. In 1971, Rodriguez graduated from La Salle High School with honors.
Rodriguez enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
and changed majors four times before deciding to become an engineer. He earned a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
in 1976. That same year, recruiters from NASA were conducting interviews at the campus. He was hired by NASA as an engineer, designing special test equipment at the Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Since then, Rodriguez has held several positions at NASA.
Career in NASA
Rodriguez enrolled in the University of AlabamaUniversity of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
to pursue a masters degree. While pursuing his masters, Rodriguez moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and worked on jet engines for NASA contractor Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies company. He earned his masters degree in mechanical engineering in 1982. In 1997, he earned his doctorate in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, from the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
.
Rodriguez was the leader of the Solid Rocket Booster accident investigation team following the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
accident in February 2003 and was also the project manager for the Space Launch Initiative program. Rodriguez is currently the Director of the test laboratory in the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. He is responsible for the engineering services and facilities for environmental, structural, and propulsion testing of NASA programs assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center. Among his duties are: research, development, qualification, and acceptance testing of critical space and flight hardware, as well as the testing of relevant development hardware.
Written works
Among the written works authored or co-authored by Rodriguez are the following:- "On the analytical determination of relaxation modulus of viscoelastic materials by Prony's interpolation method" (1986)
Document ID: 19870008022; Report Number: NAS 1.1586579, NASA-TM-86579
- "Application Of Prony's Method To Data On Viscoelasticity" (1988)
Document ID: 19880000452; Report Number: MFS-27179
- "On the design of structural components using materials with time-dependent properties" (1993)
Document ID: 19940012046; Report Number: NAS 1.15108428, NASA-TM-108428
- "AXAF hypervelocity impact test results" (1997)
Document ID: 19980005952
- "Introduction Aims and Requirements of Future Aerospace Vehicles" (2001)
Document ID: 20010020951
- "MPLM On-Orbit Interface Dynamic Flexibility Modal Test" (2001)
Document ID: 20010020953
Awards and recognitions
Among the awards and recognitions bestowed upon Rodriguez are: NASA's Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Inventors Award for the invention of the portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis, the Silver Snoopy AwardSilver Snoopy award
The Silver Snoopy award is a special honor awarded to NASA employees and contractors for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success...
, and The Marshall Center Directors Commendation Award as "Outstanding Hispanic Employee". The Puerto Rican Senate recognized Dr. Rodriguez with a resolution marking his engineering achievement.
Personal life
Dr. Rodriguez is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and AstronauticsAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is the professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA was founded in 1963 from the merger of two earlier societies: the American Rocket Society , founded in 1930 as the American Interplanetary Society , and the Institute...
and of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
. He currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors
- List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people