Gutierrez is first Hispanic American in space

June 5, 1991: Sidney M. Gutierrez became the first U.S.-born Hispanic astronaut to travel into outer space. (Franklin R. Chang Díaz, who in 1986 had become the first Hispanic-American to travel into outer space, was born in Costa Rica.) Gutierrez was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1951.

He received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Academy in 1973 and an M.A. in management from Webster College (now Webster University) in 1977.

During this period, Gutierrez also completed undergraduate pilot training at Texas-based Laughlin Air Force Base and remained there for a couple of more years as an instructor pilot. He received additional flight training in the early 1980s at the USAF Test Pilot School.