Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Dominguez
Hi Luis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles in the Historic West Adams Area. My mother, a house cleaning lady, is from Mexico, and my father, a mechanic, is from Honduras. My education started early because my mother used to help teach kids in Mexico, so as soon as she could, I was working on booklets in Spanish she had from Mexico for children. I was identified as a gifted student in elementary school. I was allowed to skip 5th grade after initially being placed in the ESL program because they assumed I didn’t speak English. Then, at Audubon Middle School, when I was in music class, I had a friend who brought a book on airplanes, and I became fascinated with aircraft. After severe web-sleuthing on our NetZero internet, I discovered that aerospace engineers designed airplanes, and that’s when I decided to become an engineer. I went to Westchester High School because they had an Aerospace Magnet program and had an excellent GPA but didn’t have the greatest SAT Scores. I chose to study Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona because I felt unsafe trying for more challenging universities.
I ended up doing great at Cal Poly Pomona, and again, I had an outstanding GPA, but I could never get interviews with the big aerospace companies until one day, NASA-JPL gave me an interview. I had no idea what JPL was, but after some research, I knew it was an incredible opportunity for me. I remember telling the interviewers I didn’t care if they had me mopping the floors, and I wanted to work here. So, they gave me an opportunity in November of 2007 to start as an intern for the Assembly, Test, & Launch Operations Team on the next Mars rover Curiosity, and I haven’t looked back. At this point, I’ve worked on two Mars Rovers, a Mars Helicopter, three future Lunar Rovers, one Earth-orbiting satellite, and a satellite going to investigate an asteroid out in the asteroid belt. All the while, I found it a travesty that I never knew a NASA space center was 25 miles from my house, and I do my best to talk to children in socio-economically disenfranchised areas. I speak to them about my life and encourage them to live with courage, curiosity, tenacity, and a healthy dose of altruism. If they do that, they will succeed, and the people around them will succeed. As Howard Zinn said, “You can’t be neutral on a moving train….”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Growing up in South Central as the son of two “illegal” immigrants provided a plethora of challenges. When I was very young, maybe four, I would have this recurring nightmare with my mom. We would grab breakfast at this little diner that we’d always go to before work, and then after breakfast, we’d walk to her job as a seamstress. But once we’d get to her job, we’d start running because “la migra” showed up. Every night, I’d wake up in a cold sweat because I would get away, but my mom would not, and then I’d sit there alone, just like in my nightmare. Even when I was little, I understood how things often worked.
Perhaps my biggest struggle has always been my self-doubt. It took me a while to build up the courage to believe in my capabilities and that I belonged working with all the fantastic people at JPL.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a Spacecraft Systems Engineer in the Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations Group. I lead the team that builds, shakes, bakes, and launches spacecraft. I’ve worked on two Mars Rovers, a Mars Helicopter, three future Lunar Rovers, one Earth-orbiting satellite, and a satellite going to investigate an asteroid out in the asteroid belt.
I’m also a Marshall Memorial Fellow for the German Marshall Fund of the United States, which was established by the German government after World War II to foster the development of US-EU relations.
I also speak to K-12 and university students and have served on some non-profit boards for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I guess I’ll give the engineering answer, that depends. As a Spacecraft Systems Engineer, part of my job is to classify risks as issues are identified and resolved while building spacecraft. I’d classify a major risk as something with a high consequence and a decent probability, > 10%, and I would try to identify contingencies for the risk should it come to fruition. I’ve taken many risks, but I always try to have a backup plan or determine a way out should the risk be encumbered. Life is about risk management.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://spaceluigi.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elspaceluigi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spaceluigi/
- Twitter: https://x.com/SpaceLuigi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spaceluigi4659
