Felix Soto Toro
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Dr. Felix Soto Toro (born 1967 in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), is an astronaut applicant and an Electrical Designs Engineer in NASA, who developed an electronic 3D measuring system.
Toro was raised in a poor section of the City of Guaynabo known as "El Barrio Amelia". As a child, he was interested in everything that had to do with light bulbs and electricity. His father always encouraged him to better himself. When he was 4 years old, a neighbor gave him a miniature Apollo spacecraft toy as a Christmas gift. This event inspired him to learn more about space. He would spend hours observing the sky, especially the moon. Soto used to take pictures with his camera of all the space program news transmitted in his television. He obtained his primary and secondary education in his hometown and went to high school at the Colegio Madre Cabrini in San Juan. His high school math teacher constantly told Soto that he (the teacher) had never seen anybody solve mathematical problems the way he did - this motivated Soto to study engineering in college.
In 1984, after graduating from high school, Soto enrolled at the Florida Institute of Technology, located in Melbourne, Florida. In 1986, while in college, he decided that he would like to become an engineer for NASA. Soto participated in the Cooperative Education Program (CO-OP). By doing this he knew that he had a better than average chance of landing a job in NASA.
In 1990, Soto earned his Bachelor's Degree of Science in Electrical Engineering. He was hired by NASA, a month after graduating and assigned to the Design Engineering Networks Communications section at Kennedy Space Center. In 1992, he completed his Masters Degree of Science in Electrical Engineering and by 1997, he completed another Masters in Science Degree. By specializing in the communications field of electrical engineering, he improved his credentials towards his goal of becoming an astronaut.
At the Kennedy Space Center, 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), 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. This system has the potential to become a NASA project with commercial applications.
Soto earned his Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering and has applied to become an astronaut candidate.
Dr. Felix 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 Astronuat 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.
