Ricardo Peralta y Fabi

Ricardo Peralta y Fabi (August 15, 1950 – December 31, 2017^[2]) was a Mexican mechanical engineer and former astronaut trainee^[3] who was a backup for astronaut Rodolfo Neri Vela on STS-61-B.^[4][5] Peralta was one of three people selected among 400 applicants to the Mexican space program.

Ricardo Peralta
Ricardo Peralta (NASA photo)
Born	Ricardo Peralta y Fabi (1950-08-15)August 15, 1950 Mexico City
Died	December 31, 2017(2017-12-31) (aged 67) Mexico City
Occupation(s)	Mexican astronaut selectee, engineer, professor
Known for	being the backup for Rodolfo Neri Vela
Children	Ernesto Peralta Medina, Emiliano Peralta Medina, Liliana Peralta Magallón
Status	Retired in 1985[1]
Space career
Mexican astronaut
Selection	1985[1]

Accident

Peralta was the alternate of the first Mexican astronaut Rodolfo Neri Vela at the time of the ultralight accident (bought as remuneration for astronaut training), in which he was seriously injured. He was unable to complete astronaut training and training at Indiana University. He left the corps of astronauts on 3 December 1985.^[3]

He taught at the University of Mexico City for many years after his astronaut career and died in 2016.

See also

• List of Hispanic astronauts