Carlos Noriega: The First and Only Peruvian Astronaut’s Legacy in Space Exploration and Its Impact on Future Generations
- Paper ID
101696
- DOI
- author
- company
Intinauta Research Center; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research Institute, MAI)
- country
Peru
- year
2025
- abstract
Carlos Ismael Noriega, the first and only Peruvian astronaut to date, has left an indelible mark on the history of human space exploration through his work with NASA. His participation in critical missions, including STS-84 and STS-97, where he contributed to the construction of the International Space Station and performed multiple Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), underscores both his technical expertise and the resilience needed to excel in this field. Despite his significant accomplishments, Noriega’s story remains largely unrecognized in his home country of Peru. This paper explores Noriega’s contributions as a Latin American space pioneer and the importance of his achievements for inspiring future generations in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. We advocate for increased recognition of Noriega’s legacy, emphasizing the need to integrate his narrative into educational frameworks to motivate young Peruvians and other Latin Americans to pursue careers in space and science.