>> MY NAME IS MARCOS BERRIOS.
I'M AN AIR FORCE
HELICOPTER TEST PILOT
AND I AM A 2021
NASA ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE.
I AM FROM GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO.
GROWING UP IN PUERTO RICO
IS A MIXTURE OF
SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY,
IT'S A MIXTURE OF SPENDING TIME
AT THE BEACH.
FOR ME, IT WAS A LOT OF
KIND OF HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
AS WELL AS A LOT OF MATH.
>> SO, BEFORE BEING SELECTED
AS AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE,
I WAS AN AIR FORCE
HELICOPTER TEST PILOT.
SPECIFICALLY, I DID
DEVELOPMENTAL TESTS
FOR THE COMBAT SEARCH
AND RESCUE MISSION.
>> A NASA ASTRONAUT, TO ME,
IS AN AMBASSADOR, AN AMBASSADOR
FOR THE NASA ORGANIZATION
AS WELL AS ITS MISSION.
>> I DECIDED TO BE,
OR THAT I WANTED TO BE
A NASA ASTRONAUT WHEN I WAS
A KID, BUT I WOULD SAY
THE REASON AS TO WHY I WANTED
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT CERTAINLY
EVOLVED WITH TIME.
YOU KNOW, AS A KID, I WAS
INSPIRED BY PICTURES OF
THE STARS, GALAXIES, NEBULAS,
AND I WANTED TO BE THE ONE
THAT EXPLORED THOSE AREAS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT
ASTRONAUTS, YOU KNOW, DID
AT THE TIME, JUST EXPLORE,
YOU KNOW, THE CONFINES
OF–OF THE UNIVERSE.
AS YOU KIND OF GET OLDER,
MORE MATURE, YOU HAVE
A MORE REALISTIC OUTTAKE
AS TO WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT
AND WHAT THE CHANCES ARE.
AND DURING HIGH SCHOOL,
I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT
MAINLY BECAUSE I WANTED
TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE THE LIVES
OF THOSE THAT WERE
KIND OF SELECTED.
YOU HAD DOCTORS, ENGINEERS,
SCIENTISTS, PILOTS,
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
KIND OF EXCITED ME.
AND NOW, KIND OF QUITE FRANKLY,
I–I BELIEVE IN THE
HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION MISSION
AND I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THAT IN SOME WAY.
AND CONTRIBUTING TO THAT MISSION
AS AN ASTRONAUT KIND OF
COMBINES A LOT OF THE THINGS
THAT I LIKE TO DO.
I LIKE TO LEARN, I LIKE
TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE
FROM-- YOU KNOW, WITH
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE,
DIFFERENT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.
>> SO, I BELIEVE IN THE
HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION MISSION
AND THAT'S A MISSION
THAT I CERTAINLY WANT
TO CONTRIBUTE TO IN SOME WAY.
AND BEING A NASA ASTRONAUT
ALLOWS ME TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THAT MISSION BY HELP-–
HELPING THE ORGANIZATION
DEVELOP THE NEW SPACE VEHICLES
THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE US
TO THE MOON AND TO MARS.
IT ALLOWS ME TO CONTINUE
TO EDUCATE MYSELF, LEARN ABOUT
THE VARIOUS DISCIPLINES
THAT IT TAKES TO ACCOMPLISH
THIS MISSION.
AND IT ALSO ALLOWS ME
TO TAKE PART AND BE, YOU KNOW,
A SMALL CONTRIBUTING MEMBER
TO–TO TEAMS THAT HAVE
A, YOU KNOW, SENSE OF PURPOSE
IN THE HIGHER MISSION.
>> THE SELECTION PROCESS
WAS A LONG, LONG ONE.
SO, IT ALL STARTED WITH
AN APPLICATION ONLINE
AT USA JOBS, WHICH REALLY
JUST CONSISTED OF YOUR RESUME
AND A COUPLE OF REFERENCES.
AND THEN IT WAS PROBABLY
EIGHT MONTHS OR SO
BEFORE YOU PERHAPS HEARD
THAT YOU HAD MADE IT
TO THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED ROUND
AND THEN SOME MORE WAITING FOR
THE FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS.
AND THAT WAS A SHORT
KIND OF THREE-DAY EXPERIENCE
WITH, YOU KNOW,
TEN OTHER AMAZING INDIVIDUALS.
A LOT OF MEDICAL ACTIVITIES,
A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL
AND GROUP EXERCISES.
AND THEN YOU WAIT SOME MORE.
THEN YOU'VE GOT THE SECOND ROUND
WHICH, AT THIS POINT,
WAS A WEEK LONG.
AND SO, YOU SPEND QUITE A BIT OF
TIME WITH THE OTHER CANDIDATES,
EVEN MORE INTENSE
MEDICAL ACTIVITIES AS WELL
AS ANOTHER INTERVIEW
AND SOME MORE PHYSICAL
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS.
>> SO, I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS
SELECTED IN THE MORNING.
I WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING TO WORK.
AND THE PHONE CALL ITSELF,
YOU KNOW, WAS VERY SHORT
AND SWEET AND MAYBE
SOMEWHAT UNEVENTFUL.
BUT THE MORNING LEADING UP
TO THAT PHONE CALL, I THINK,
IS KIND OF UNIQUE
AND KIND OF NEAT.
AND SO, I AM THE TYPE OF PERSON
THAT LIKES TO WAKE UP
AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING,
TYPICALLY TO, YOU KNOW,
WORK OUT OR JUST GET
A HEAD START ON MY DAY.
SO, THAT MORNING I WAS ACTUALLY
WATCHING A PRESENTATION,
AN INTERVIEW THAT REID,
THE CHIEF ASTRONAUT WAS GIVING.
SO, THIS WAS A 30-MINUTE TALK,
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE
WORKING OUT AND LISTENING
TO A PODCAST,
IT'S NOT THAT EFFICIENT,
SO, I AM LISTENING TO
TEN MINUTES, REWINDING,
YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO
TEN MORE MINUTES.
AND SO, HIS VOICE WAS
THE ONLY VOICE THAT, YOU KNOW,
I HEARD THAT MORNING.
AND SO, I'M DRIVING TO WORK,
I GET A PHONE CALL,
IT'S THE HOUSTON-–
FROM A HOUSTON NUMBER.
YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE,
YOU KNOW, VERY NERVOUS
AND, YOU KNOW, VERY ANXIOUS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I SAW
THE PHONE CALL, I ANSWERED IT,
AND THEN THE VERY FIRST VOICE
THAT I HEARD ON THE OTHER LINE
WAS–WAS REID'S VOICE.
AND SO, I THOUGHT I WAS
GOING TO BE NERVOUS,
BUT IT WAS ALMOST, YOU KNOW,
SOOTHING TO KIND OF HEAR
THE SAME VOICE THAT I HAD HEARD
THAT ENTIRE MORNING.
HE ASKED IF I WANTED TO COME
TO NASA AND JOIN THE NEXT
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE CLASS,
AND I–I SAID YES.
I THINK I SAID IT-–
I GAVE HIM A FIRM YES.
BUT, YOU KNOW...
>> FOR A GOOD PART OF MY LIFE,
I WORKED AN EIGHT-TO-FIVE JOB
AS A–AS AN ENGINEER,
AS A RESEARCHER FOR THE ARMY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
I WAS A COMBAT SEARCH
AND RESCUE HELICOPTER PILOT
FOR THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD.
AND THEN I WAS ALSO GOING
TO GRAD SCHOOL.
AND, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF
THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES,
I'M SURROUNDED BY KIND OF
UNIQUE AND AMAZING INDIVIDUALS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING
TO DO A LOT OF THINGS AT ONCE.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY NEVER-–
YOU DON'T MASTER THEM ALL.
AND SO, I CERTAINLY RELIED ON,
YOU KNOW, KIND OF OTHERS
TO HELP ME, WHICH, YOU KNOW,
I FELT CERTAINLY,
YOU KNOW, MOTIVATED ME,
ALSO INSPIRED ME TO, YOU KNOW,
CONTINUE TO DO BETTER AND TRY
TO CONTRIBUTE TO EACH ONE
OF THOSE THREE DIFFERENT TEAMS,
IF YOU WILL.
>> GROWING UP IN PUERTO RICO,
MATH, FOR ME AT LEAST,
WAS–WAS A BIG DEAL.
AND MY OLDER BROTHER COMPETED
IN MATH COMPETITIONS
REPRESENTING PUERTO RICO.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
I CERTAINLY WANTED TO DO,
AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, MY MOM WAS
ACTUALLY A MATH TEACHER.
SHE WAS A MATH TEACHER
AT THE SAME SCHOOL
THAT I–THAT I WENT TO.
AND SHE WAS MY SEVENTH GRADE,
YOU KNOW, MATH TEACHER,
PRE-ALGEBRA, WHICH CERTAINLY,
IN MY OPINION, KIND OF SET
THE STAGE FOR FUTURE, YOU KNOW,
LOVE OF MATH AND SCIENCE, SO...
>> I WOULD SAY ALL OF THE ABOVE.
SO, DEFINITELY EXCITED.
AT THE SAME TIME, I AM
VERY ANXIOUS, I'M VERY NERVOUS
FOR WHAT'S TO COME.
A LOT OF IT IS SIMPLY
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
KIND OF UNKNOWNS.
BUT I AM-– I WOULDN'T HAVE IT
ANY OTHER WAY.
>> THE LEAST EXTRAORDINARY THING
THAT I DO, THAT IS A-–
THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY MAYBE
WAKING UP AT 4:30
IN THE MORNING EVERYDAY.
>> SO, RIGHT NOW, I AM
MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF
NEW VEHICLES IN DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE THE SPACEX CREW DRAGON,
THE BOEING STARLINE,
ORION, GATEWAY, STARSHIP,
THE HUMAN LANDER.
AND SO, I DO THINK IT'S
AN EXCITING TIME TO BE
A PART OF NASA AND TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES
THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE US,
YOU KNOW, TO THE MOON
AND BEYOND TO MARS.
>> MAYBE TWO TOP REASONS.
SO, THE FIRST IS I AM ACTUALLY
QUITE EXCITED TO GO TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
AND TAKE PART IN THE DIVERSE
RESEARCH THAT IS HAPPENING.
AND SO, I THINK IT WOULD BE
VERY, YOU KNOW---
IT WOULD BE A VERY FUN
AND NEAT WAY TO CONTRIBUTE
TO ALL THE RESEARCH
THAT SCIENTISTS ARE DOING
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THEN THE OTHER, I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO HELP DEVELOP
THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL
TAKE US TO THE MOON
AND BEYOND TO MARS.
>> I LIKE TO BE AROUND
THE WATER.
AND SO, I LIKE TO GO SWIMMING,
I LIKE TO GO SCUBA DIVING.
I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE
TO LEARN HOW TO SAIL.
I LIKE TO BE OUTSIDE, SO HIKING,
JUST SPENDING TIME OUTSIDE.
>> THE BEST ADVICE I'VE RECEIVED
ABOUT BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT
IS TO SIMPLY BE YOURSELF.
>> DREAM DESTINATION.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK I WOULD GO
ANYWHERE THAT NASA SENDS ME.
BUT IF I WERE TO DREAM UP
THE IDEAL LOCATION,
SO, RIGHT NOW NASA CURRENTLY HAS
THE MARS INGENUITY HELICOPTER
FLYING, AND IF NASA COULD
SCALE UP THAT HELICOPTER
TO FIT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE
ABOUT MY SIZE, I THINK IT WOULD
BE PRETTY–PRETTY AMAZING
TO BE ABLE TO FLY A HELICOPTER
ON ANOTHER PLANET.
>> ABOUT THE VEHICLES,
I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT
CONTRIBUTING DURING THE EARLY
STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT,
TO BE ABLE TO USE
MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TO AID
THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLES,
WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE THEM
SAFER FOR THE ASTRONAUTS
THAT DO-– WHO ARE ONBOARD.
>> EVERYONE WAS, YOU KNOW,
EXTREMELY EXCITED.
YOU KNOW, I THINK YOUR FAMILY
IS YOUR BIGGEST ADVOCATE.
AND SO, AS I TALK TO THEM
ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT,
EVERYONE SIMPLY SAYS,
OH, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE
YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.
AND, OF COURSE, I TRY TO EXPLAIN
THAT THE CHANCES ARE–ARE
VERY MINIMAL, BUT I GUESS
THEY WERE RIGHT.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE
A GOOD RESPONSE TO THEM
AT–AT THE MOMENT.
>> STUDY TIP.
I PERSONALLY NEED REPETITION
WHEN IT COMES TO LEARNING
A NEW TOPIC OR NEW CONCEPT.
AND I NEED VARIOUS MODES
OF, I GUESS RECEIVING
THAT INFORMATION.
SO, I'M A VERY VISUAL PERSON,
SO, I LIKE TO READ SOMETHING
THEN I LIKE TO DRAW DIAGRAMS
OR, YOU KNOW, WORK AN EQUATION
AND DO SOME MATH AND THEN TRY
AND SUMMARIZE WHAT I'VE LEARNED
TO REALLY VERIFY THAT
I'VE UNDERSTOOD
THAT CONCEPT CORRECTLY.
>> AS A KID, I WOULD SAY
WHEN I WAS A KID,
THERE WAS A TV SHOW THAT
WAS ACTUALLY ON PAY-PER-VIEW
CALLED "BATTLE BOTS", WHICH IS,
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TWO ROBOTS
IN AN OCTAGON, YOU KNOW,
FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON
THAT I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW,
I WANTED TO BUILT THINGS,
I WANTED TO BUILD ROBOTS.
AND BEING ABLE TO KIND OF
SEE THAT IN ACTION
JUST KIND OF DROVE THAT DESIRE
TO–TO KIND OF GET INTO
ENGINEERING AND PURSUE
SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY I AM
VERY MUCH MORE MATH ORIENTED.
IT JUST COMES EASIER TO ME.
AND SO, IT'S A, YOU KNOW,
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, BEING ABLE
TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY,
BEING ABLE TO WRITE EFFICIENTLY
WAS CERTAINLY SOMETHING
THAT WAS HARD, OR AT LEAST
HARDER THAN I CERTAINLY
WANTED IT TO BE.
AND SO ADVICE, I THINK SOMETIMES
WE TEND TO NOT DO THINGS
BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT
THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO GET BETTER IS
BY ACTUALLY DOING.
AND SO, MY ADVICE IS TO
EMBRACE THE FACT THAT EITHER
YOU DON'T LIKE IT
OR IT'S–IT'S HARD
AND YOU NEED TO CONTINUE
TO PURSUE YOUR WEAKNESSES
IN ORDER TO–TO MAKE THEM
INTO A STRENGTH.