Her achievements as an astronaut, her current work at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, and her leadership in encouraging all people to attain a solid education have earned Ochoa numerous awards. In 1995, NASA awarded her the Outstanding Leadership Medal, followed two years later by the Exceptional Service Medal. She also received two Space Flight Medals in 1993 and 1994, and two Space Act Tech Brief Awards in 1992. Being an astronaut gives Ochoa a special status when she speaks to students about their future plans. Over the past few years she's addressed more than 75 student assemblies, driven in part by NASA's commitment to educate the public about the space program.
Students are excited to meet someone who has been to outer space.
Everyone wants to know more about space careers for engineers and scientists. They all ask me to detail how it feels to live in space. They want me to tell them what they'll be doing in space in the future. Younger students usually ask Ochoa how astronauts eat, sleep, conduct experiments and go to the bathroom in space. They ask me to detail what I do in my work and what I plan to do in the future, as well as what NASA plans for future space programs.