From Stockton, California to the Stars Above: The Story of José Hernández

September 09, 2024

No matter the obstacle on his path, José Hernández's "out-of-this-world" dream turned him into an inspiration for his San Joaquin County community and the nation.

One walk through the Children's Museum of Stockton, a specific spot within it is bound to catch your eye—the Destination: Space exhibit. This section of the museum showcases amazing details and images from NASA's space explorations—and highlights a central figure in San Joaquin County's connection to space. That figure is one of Stockton's own: Astronaut José Hernández.

José Hernández was born in French Camp but would grow to call Stockton his home. A son of immigrants, José would spend half of the year in the US and half in La Piedad, Michoacán, Mexico. As a young child, he worked alongside his parents and other immigrant farmworkers throughout the fields of California. Unable to speak English until he reached the age of 12, José’s first memory of space was adjusting the family television as they prepared to watch the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Unbeknownst to him at the time, that moment was a sign of what his future would hold.

José participated in the Upward Bound college preparatory program in school and graduated from Franklin High School. In college, he was in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, designed to support educationally disadvantaged students in attaining 4-year degrees in STEM fields. José would eventually earn a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Pacific in 1984, followed by a Master's in Electrical & Computer Engineering from UC Santa Barbara.

In 2001, José joined the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and after 3 years, was selected for the NASA astronaut training program. After years of training, which included flight training, water & wilderness survival, shuttle launch & landing preparations, and spending days in an underwater laboratory, José moved up as a mission specialist on the STS-128 mission—a 14-day journey in orbit studying the physics & chemistry of microgravity. During this mission, José became the first person to use the Spanish language in space, which he did while tweeting.

After sailing among the stars, José ran for Congress, became an advocate for immigration reform, and joined the Board of Directors for SpaceUnited, a nonprofit humanitarian space agency. He now owns a 20-acre vineyard near Lodi and, in 2021, began bottling wine under the name Tierra Luna Cellars, which translates to "Earth Moon" Cellars in English.

From the son of immigrant workers to a navigator through space, José has remained true to the hometown that helped him carve his path. José Hernández is one incredible example of what it means to be StocktonTrue.

BONUS: The film A Million Miles Away—the biopic on José's life—is now streaming on Amazon's Prime Video! In the film, José is portrayed by Academy Award nominee Michael Peña. Check out the trailer below!

While visiting, why not extend your stay by checking in somewhere? Stockton is home to numerous fantastic hotels located in key parts of the city, making it easy to enjoy our parks, take part in a shopping spree, and savor some delicious cuisine. Discover the outstanding hotels in our city by clicking here!

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