- published: 06 Jun 2013
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Joseph Michael "Joe" Acaba (born May 17, 1967) is an educator, hydrogeologist, and NASA astronaut. In May 2004 he became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19. He completed his training on February 10, 2006 and was assigned to STS-119, which flew from March 15 to March 28, 2009 to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station. Acaba is currently serving as a Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station, having launched on May 15, 2012. He arrived at the space station on May 17 and is currently scheduled to return to Earth in September 2012.
Acaba's parents, Ralph and Elsie Acabá, from Hatillo, Puerto Rico, moved in the mid-1960s to Inglewood, California where he was born. They later moved to Anaheim, California. Since his childhood, Acaba enjoyed reading, especially science fiction. In school, he excelled in both science and math. As a child, his parents constantly exposed him to educational films, but it was the 8-mm film showing astronaut Neil Armstrong's Moon landing which really intrigued him about outer space. During his senior year in high school, Acaba became interested in scuba diving and became a certified scuba diver through a job training program at his school. This experience inspired him to further his academic education in the field of geology. In 1985, he graduated with honors from Esperanza High School in Anaheim.
Actors: Paul Hunt (director), Paul Hunt (writer), Maria Arnold (actress), Kathy Hilton (actress), Bob Cresse (producer), Bob Cresse (writer), Jane Tsentas (actress), Barbara Mills (actress), Monica Gayle (actress), William Kirschner (actor), Debbie Osborne (actress), Frank Cuva (actor), Sanford Mitchell (actor), Paul Bruce (actor), Leonard Goodman (actor),
Genres: Adventure, Comedy,