After his career as an astronaut, Franklin founded the Ad Astra rocket company. To this day, he remains the CEO of the company. The Ad Astra Rocket company researches plasma physics in hopes to advance rocket technology. This could benefit companies like NASA but also benefit space exploration as a whole.
Current Research / Work
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Personally, I found Franklin’s story very inspiring and he proved that you can do anything you set your mind to. Even though he didn’t grow up in good circumstances to become a NASA astronaut, he pushed through and followed his dreams. I can connect to this because no matter where I started out, I have been able to follow my goals and personal hobbies in my life. I also have been really fascinated by space and space exploration ever since I was a little kid. Just like Franklin, the thought of exploring a place where nobody has been was exciting.
Personal connection
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NASA. (2012, September). Chang-Diaz Bio current. https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/chang-diaz_franklin_0.pdf APS. (n.d.). Franklin Chang-Diaz. Profile: Franklin Chang-Diaz. https://www.aps.org/careers/profiles/franklin-chang-diaz nhcoa_media. (2024a, September 25).Latino empowerment: Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz. NHCOA. https://nhcoa.org/latino-empowerment-dr-franklin-chang-diaz/ Smithsonian. (2023, October 13). Franklin Chang-Díaz: From immigrant to innovator. Homepage. https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/franklin-chang-diaz-immigrant-innovator