Calay News
José J. Granda is an Ecuadorian scientist and mechanical engineer who was inspired to pursue a career in space exploration after watching the Apollo 11 moon landing on television. He has since become a renowned expert in the modeling and simulation of mechatronic systems, biomechanics, dynamics, and the design and reproduction of aerospace vehicles. Granda has received various academic awards for his expertise in computer simulations and innovation in research, including the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award from the University of California and the Academic Excellence Award for Research and Innovation from California State University.
Granda was born in Ecuador and graduated from the National Polytechnic School before winning a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a master’s degree and later a doctorate in mechanical engineering. He worked at IBM before joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where he has participated in 17 space missions and has become a spokesperson for the organization in Spanish-language media.
Granda’s mentor at NASA was Dr. Raymond S. Montgomery, who was developing the control system for the space shuttle Discovery. Granda has since contributed to numerous space missions and worked on the development of mathematical models for the International Space Station and new vehicles for asteroid exploration. He is currently working on the Artemis program, which aims to send the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, and his research focuses on the lunar descent and ascent module.
Despite his many achievements, Granda remains humble and remembers his father’s advice to stay humble when working on multiple projects. His father was a mechanic, and Granda credits him for sparking his interest in mechanics as a child.
