done before, and it was accomplished in three years, from conception to launch, in the wake of mission failures from Mars ’98. In August 2005 Mr. Figueroa was appointed to the position of Director for System Safety and Mission Assurance at the Goddard Space Flight Center. In October 2005, Figueroa was named Director of Applied Engineering and Technology at Goddard, as such he is responsible for 1,300 employees and provides guidance on engineering and system technology. In January 2010, he accepted the position of Deputy Center Director for Science and Technology of Goddard Space Flight Center. Mr. Figueroa currently resides in Maryland with his family. Awards and recognitions Figueroa received an Honorary Doctor's Degree. Among the many awards and recognitions which he has received are the following: The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1993) The Community Stars Award from the Maryland Science Commission (1994) The President Rank Award for Outstanding Performance as Senior Executive (2001) The Pioneer Award (2002) Named "The Most Influential Hispanic in the Nation" by Hispanic Business magazine (2002). See also Puerto Rican scientists and inventors List of Puerto Ricans List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people References External links Mr. Orlando Figueroa 1955 births Living people Goddard Space Flight Center people Puerto Rican scientists People from San Juan, Puerto Rico University of Puerto Rico alumni