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"Every mission I touch, every story I share, and every stage I step on is powered by this belief: The future of space belongs to all of us."
NASA Engineer & Bestselling Author
Read My Story
What does it take to go from an immigrant kid adjusting to life in Puerto Rico and later New York City to helping land a rover and fly a helicopter on Mars? My story isn't just about rockets and robots—it's about resilience, representation, and the power of believing you belong in places where no one like you has been before.
🎯 Inside "The Boy Who Reached for the Stars"
Discover the behind-the-scenes stories, practical strategies, and breakthrough moments that transformed my journey from Ecuador to Mars missions
01
My secret weapon against imposter syndrome
The mindset shift that unlocked my potential at NASA and how you can apply it to overcome self-doubt in any field
02
The sacrifices of the Mars 2020 team
What we learned behind the scenes and the untold stories of dedication that made history possible
03
What the livestream didn't show on landing day
The raw emotions, technical challenges, and human moments that cameras couldn't capture
04
Why mentorship is about belief, not networking
The revolutionary approach to mentorship that transformed my career and how to find mentors who truly invest in your growth
05
How Ingenuity became personal
The untold story of operating the first helicopter on Mars and why representation in space exploration matters more than ever
06
The roadmap from internships to leading space missions
Practical strategies that took me from entry-level positions to leading avionics operations for lunar missions
What Readers Are Saying
Authentic reviews from readers who've been inspired by "The Boy Who Reached for the Stars"
Inspiring and joyous.
Heartwarming . . . infectious . . . Morillo's The Boy Who Reached for the Stars is every bit the inspiration he means it to be.
Not your typical space memoir—this is a raw, honest story of how representation in STEM changes everything. A must-read for anyone who's ever felt like they don't belong.
✨ My Journey: From Ecuador to Mars
The pivotal moments, breakthroughs, and challenges that shaped my path to becoming a space systems engineer
Early Years
🇪🇨 From Ecuador to Brooklyn
Born in Ecuador, my family moved to the US when I was young. Adjusting to life in Brooklyn, navigating a new language and culture, while holding onto dreams that seemed impossibly distant.
The seed was planted: Watching space shuttles launch on TV, wondering if someone like me could ever be part of something so extraordinary.
College
🎓 First-Generation Engineering Student
The struggle was real—language barriers, financial challenges, and the weight of being the first in my family to pursue engineering. Moments of doubt were frequent, but so were the small victories.
The turning point: Finding mentors who saw potential I didn't even know I had, and learning that asking for help wasn't weakness—it was strategy.
2015–2019
🏭 From GE to SpaceX
Each internship and job taught me something new—at GE I learned discipline, at Boeing I discovered systems thinking, at SpaceX I experienced innovation at breakneck speed. But NASA? That's where I found my calling.
The realization: Success wasn't about being the smartest person in the room—it was about being curious, collaborative, and resilient.
2021
🚀 Mars Landing Day
February 18, 2021. Seven minutes of terror as Perseverance descended to Mars. Years of work, countless late nights, and the dreams of a kid from Ecuador all converged in that moment.
The moment everything changed: "TOUCHDOWN CONFIRMED!" Those words didn't just mark a successful landing—they marked the moment I realized that kid who dreamed of space had actually made it.
2021
🚁 First Flight on Mars
Operating Ingenuity, the first helicopter to fly on another planet. Each flight was a testament to human ingenuity and a reminder that the impossible is just another engineering challenge.
The deeper meaning: Every flight wasn't just data—it was proof that when we dare to dream beyond Earth, we can achieve the extraordinary.
Present
🌙 Next Stop: The Moon
Now at Blue Origin, I'm working on humanity's return to the Moon. The same boy who watched shuttles on TV is now helping design the systems that will take us back to our cosmic neighbor.
The mission continues: Every lunar lander system I test brings us one step closer to sustainable human presence beyond Earth—and one step closer to inspiring the next generation of space explorers.
🚀 Ready to Reach for Your Stars?
Join thousands of readers who've discovered that the journey from dreamer to achiever starts with a single story—one that proves belonging isn't about fitting in, it's about standing out.
✨ What You'll Get:
🎯 My Immigrant Journey
Strength in Community breaks all barriers
Strength in Community breaks all barriers
🎯 Leaning In
Skills to advocate for yourself and others
Skills to advocate for yourself and others
🎯 The Mars Landing Story
Behind-the-scenes moments from space history
Behind-the-scenes moments from space history
💡 Practical Career Strategies
Real tactics that work in any field
Real tactics that work in any field
🌟 Confidence Blueprint
From imposter syndrome to impact
From imposter syndrome to impact
🚀 Dream-to-Reality Roadmap
Turn "impossible" into "inevitable"
Turn "impossible" into "inevitable"
"The kid who watched space shuttles on TV is now helping build the ships that will take us back to the Moon. Your turn." — Elio