Astronaut Hernandez leaves NASA

Jose Hernandez, the son of Mexican migrant farm workers who flew one shuttle mission, is leaving NASA's astronaut corps, the agency announced today.

Hernandez, 49, joined NASA as a materials engineer in 2001 and was accepted as an astronaut in 2004, a class told it might never fly on the shuttle following the Columbia disaster.

Hernandez served as a mission specialist aboard Discovery in 2009 on the 128th shuttle mission. The 14-day flight delivered supplies and parts to the International Space Station. (The mission commanader was Rick "C.J." Sturckow, who on Thursday was named back-up commander to Mark Kelly for the 134th mission.)

NASA said Hernandez, 49, has taken a position in the aerospace industry.

"Jose's talent and dedication have contributed greatly to the agency,
and he is an inspiration to many," Chief Astronaut Peggy Whitson said in a statement. "We wish him all the best with this new phase of his career."

Hernandez is the second astronaut to leave NASA early in 2011. The agency on Jan. 4 announced five-flight veteran Marsha Ivins was moving on. Sixty-two active astronauts remain.

IMAGE: On Aug. 29, 2009, astronaut Jose Hernandez, STS-128 mission specialist, worked on the aft flight deck of the Earth-orbiting shuttle Discovery during flight day two activities. Credit: NASA