Hernandez, a first-generation American from a migrant farming family from Mexico, was raised traveling between Mexico and southern California. His family worked in agriculture along their travel route from Mexico north toward Stockton, CA. Hernandez graduated from high school in Stockton and earned his electrical engineering degree from the University of the Pacific. Upon graduation, he was awarded a full scholarship to the graduate program at the University of California in Santa Barbara.

Hernandez also served as a Flight Engineer aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2009 to the International Space Station as part of a 14-day science mission. His experiences inspired the biographical movie “A Million Miles Away.” The movie, available for viewing on Amazon Prime Video, highlights Hernandez’s journey from Mexico to the International Space Station.