page_title: List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program
section_title: Felix Soto Toro
hierarchical_section_title: List of Puerto Ricans in the United States Space Program / Felix Soto Toro
caption_attribution_description: English: Dr. Félix Soto Toro of NASA
context_page_description: This is a list of notable Puerto Rican scientists involved in the United States Space Program, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and their contributions to said program. This list is not limited to Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico, it also includes people of Puerto Rican descent born elsewhere. According to an article written by Margarita Santori Lopez for the official newspaper of the University of Puerto Rico's Mayagüez Campus, "Prensa RUM", as of 2003, of the 114 Hispanics working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, 70 were Puerto Ricans or of Puerto Rican descent.
  Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent, both men and women, have reached top positions in NASA, serving in sensitive leadership positions. On May 6, 2004, Joseph M. Acaba became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate, when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19. On an average, only the top 4% of the qualified applicants are selected as finalists, and are invited to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for interviews for a position in the Astronaut Candidate Class.
context_section_description: Astronaut applicant, Electrical Designs Engineer at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
  Soto reviews, designs, builds, tests and implements engineering designs used in the Space Shuttle and Payload Operations Development Laboratories. The main project he developed was the Advanced Payload Transfer Measurement System (ASPTMS)(Electronic 3D measuring system), which consists of a simplified, robust, centrally operated and portable system that automatically measures the spherical coordinates offset between the trunnion and their supports during transfer operations.
  NASA Awards and Recognitions:
  Soto Toro was presented with the 2003 "El Premio Coqui" by La Casa de Puerto Rico in Florida, for his outstanding contributions in the field of science.  On November 9, of that same year, Soto Toro along with another Puerto Rican Astronaut applicant, Henry Bursian Berríos and Ninfa Segarra, who was the first Hispanic Deputy Mayor of New York City, were named the Grand Marshalls of the Puerto Rican Day Parade held in Palm Bay, Florida.
caption: Felix Soto Toro
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