Regina Díaz, a Mechanical Engineering student at Tec campus Toluca, secured her spot in the upcoming International Air and Space Program at NASA after a viral video surpassed 180,000 views and raised her required deposit funds in under 48 hours.
Regina Díaz Raises Funds for NASA Program
- Regina Díaz raised her deposit funds in less than 48 hours after her fundraising video gained over 180,000 views.
- She will participate in the International Air and Space Program at NASA facilities in Houston from November 8 to 14, 2026.
- Her application featured an engineering project analyzing internal lightweight structures, known as lattices, to reduce space equipment vibrations.
From a Viral Video to the International Air and Space Program
Regina Díaz had just 10 days to pay a deposit to secure her place in the International Air and Space Program (IASP). The program, organized by the binational aerospace educational platform AEXA, takes place in NASA facilities.
Faced with a cost that she could not immediately cover, Díaz chose to publish a video sharing her personal journey and launching a crowdfunding campaign. The response proved overwhelming. The video raced past 180,000 views, pulling together the necessary deposit money in under 48 hours.
“Cuando publiqué la campaña me daba mucha pena pedir apoyo; nunca pensé que mi historia llegaría a tantas personas”, Díaz explained, noting the vulnerability of asking for public assistance.
Díaz has set her sights on the IASP since 2023. This year, she cleared AEXA’s selection process by detailing her academic track record, explaining her motivations, and submitting an original space engineering proposal.
Engineering Anti-Vibration Materials for Spacecraft
The academic proposal that won over the selection panel is titled “Material estructural antivibración para aplicaciones espaciales” (Anti-vibration structural material for space applications). The design focuses on internal lightweight structures called lattices to mitigate harmful vibrations without adding unnecessary mass to spacecraft.
“En equipos espaciales, cada gramo cuenta y las vibraciones pueden afectar componentes delicados”, Díaz pointed out, detailing how structural geometry alone might protect vulnerable equipment.
She plans to continue refining and testing this framework during her upcoming residency. Beyond her academic research, Díaz brings prior hands-on training to Houston. In 2024, she attended the Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama, on a full scholarship.
Building a Robotic Path from Toluca to Houston
Díaz’s fascination with space exploration started in early childhood, but competitive robotics turned that aspiration into a concrete career path. During her time with FIRST Robotics, she served as the first female driver for her team, Tecbot 3158, learning to design hardware and solve critical mechanical issues under tight deadlines.
Her extracurricular resume also includes the International Space Settlement Design Competition and a role leading the mechanics area for Olympus Robotics as they prepare for the University Rover Challenge. She also founded Next Nebula, an educational platform designed to introduce young students to space science and encourage female participation in STEM fields.
Her academic journey at Tec provided the foundational technical skills required to bring her concepts out of the classroom and into competitive arenas. Whether collaborating with peers across different disciplines or tackling international design challenges—such as competing in a NASA habitat design challenge—Díaz credits her institutional support system with expanding her professional horizons.
Díaz Works to Cover Remaining Program Costs
With her initial deposit secured, Díaz is scheduled to travel to Houston for the IASP session running from November 8 to 14, 2026. While the initial hurdle is cleared, she continues working to cover the remaining balance of the program’s total cost.
Reflecting on the community response that carried her past the initial deadline, Díaz expressed deep gratitude. “Hoy sé que no voy sola a esta experiencia,” she stated.
For students facing intimidating career goals, her advice remains straightforward: start before you know every answer. “Yo tampoco sabía cómo reuniría el dinero cuando recibí la aceptación. Empecé por contar mi historia y pedir ayuda,” she concluded.
