Flying to the moon and Mars are impossible dreams for many, but for Jose Hurtado, a UTEP professor of geological sciences, his dreams may come true.

Hurtado is in the semifinal round to join NASA’s astronaut corps, where he hopes to accomplish one of his biggest dreams, flying and exploring the universe outside of our planet.

Hurtado said that he was thrilled when he found out, it was a long selection process and he thought his dream might come to an end.

“I was surprised, I wasn’t expecting to make it to the semifinal round,” Hurtado said. “The average age that people get selected to be an astronaut is 35, and I’m 42.”

NASA’s selection process is rigorous. Hurtado is among the 120 most-qualified applicants out of 18,300. After the applicants travel to the Johnson Space Center for an interview, NASA choses around 40 individuals for a second interview before selecting the candidates to advance into the finalist round. The candidates then go through medical and psychological tests before NASA chooses the Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017. Only eight applicants made it to graduation in the 2013 class.

The class needs to successfully complete potentially years of training, where they will learn Russian, robotics skills training and aircraft flight readiness training in order graduate. NASA will then place the graduates in the jobs available, and if necessary, or required, the graduates may travel in space missions.

Being an astronaut has always been a dream for Hurtado, and becoming one would mean serving and helping his university.

“It is something that I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always been fascinated by aviation and space for as long as I can remember,” Hurtado said. “I see it as way of serving my country, and would like to make UTEP proud of me. I would like to make the university stand out even more.”

But for some years Hurtado did not believe he would ever make it. His height and glasses would have disqualified him from even being considered an applicant, but the requirements of NASA changed and Hurtado decided to pursue his dream. Unfortunately, he has not been selected as an astronaut thus far.

This is Hurtado’s fourth application, and his third time being a semifinalist in  NASA’s selection process. In 2008 and 2012 he was among the semifinalists, but in 2004 he did not advance to the semifinalist round.

Hurtado has not given up in his dreams despite not being selected in the past three occasions.

“Why should I give up? It does not cost me anything to apply, all these things that I do to make me a stronger candidate aren’t just for that,” Hurtado said. “There are things I like to do and that I like to pursue just to make my life fuller.”

Without being selected by NASA, Hurtado has still been part of the NASA team. He has been a volunteer since 2007, and helps people who do get selected as a NASA astronaut with geological sciences training.

“Geological sciences is an important element of being an astronaut.” Hurtado said. “If we go to the moon or to Mars, we need to know what are we looking at.”

For Hurtado, it is more about the love of his dreams and what he likes. He said money won’t bring him happiness.

“Well I don’t think that getting paid is the most important thing, I’m glad that I can participate and contribute to what I like and it may help me for a possible selection,” Hurtado said. “Learning and helping outweighs getting paid.”

Former NASA astronaut and UTEP alumni, John Danny Olivas, said he has known  Hurtado for over six years and that he is capable of becoming one of the next astronauts.

“He is a highly intelligent and competent scientist who has done a remarkable job in academia. He has unique experience,” Olivas said.

Olivas was one of the references for Hurtado, not because of their friendship, but because Olivas said that his colleague has impressed him since the day they met at NASA’s astronaut office.

“I was very impressed by him,” Olivas said. “He is a person who is approachable, and I believe he will be an outstanding addition to the astronaut corps.”

Professor Hurtado is also pilot who has flown more than 100 hours in single engineered planes.

“It’s great! You feel freedom and it feels you can go wherever you want,” Hurtado said.

Hurtado will be traveling to the NASA Johnson Space Center on Sept. 14-16, where he will have interviews and different activities that will decide if he is among the finalists.

“I haven’t been preparing too much. They want to know if you can get along with someone in a long duration mission,” Hurtado said. “If you over prepare you are not being who you  have to be to become an astronaut.”

Hurtado said if he is not selected, he might apply again.

“I’ll keep applying until they tell me to stop.”

Rene Delgadillo may be reached at [email protected].