." When I was actually all around 16 or 17, I discovered this publication through Arthur C. Clarke phoned Space Odyssey 2001. That was really the very first sci-fi manual that I have actually ever before checked out. I was so caught by what he had actually written given that the many things that he wrote about weren't [taking place] in the remote future, however in the year 2001. In the book, he discusses a great deal about spaceport station, and also space capsule that go up to the spaceport station, as well as autos that most likely to the Moon or even the Moon base, and all that. I suggest, these are actually conditions that you listen to today constantly, right? And Arthur C. Clarke really visualized it at that time. So that interested me. I really hoped that at some point I might work on something like that." In phrases of my learning, I was really visiting go into the space design, yet at that point someone recommended me that mechanical design will give me a more comprehensive history. So I observed the advise, and also it was actually the appropriate thing to carry out. I found yourself knowing a whole lot of things, certainly not just mechanical engineering but also a great deal regarding electric engineering as well as systems design concurrently." ... At that point an opportunity featured NASA. It went to that time that they began speaking about the space station. Ronald Reagan during that time was actually the President, and also he suggested this campaign to cultivate the space station. During that time, he phoned the space station 'Flexibility.'." I assumed, 'Wow, what an amazing idea it will be actually fantastic if I could deal with that.'." And of course, the main thing caused an additional, as well as [I wound up working with the International Spaceport Station.] So you certainly never know what you are actually mosting likely to end up doing." I count on coexistence sometimes. The important things that you perform, somehow, trigger your last location. Some unseen pressures drive you in that direction. When you recall, you recognize that every little thing fits together.".-- Douglas Wong, Unit Engineer, ISS CRS Visiting Automobile Security & Purpose Guarantee Assimilation Focal, NASA's Johnson Area Center.Image Credit Scores: NASA/Bill StaffordInterviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos.Check out several of our other Images of NASA..