"I hope to make you proud," says the new astronaut as he sends a message to Puerto Rico during an interview with El Nuevo Dia.

Houston, Texas - Recognizing the importance of representing Puerto Rico and the Latino community, Marcos Gabriel Berríos officially became a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut on Tuesday, with the opportunity to go, in the coming years, to the International Space Station (ISS) and be the first Puerto Rican to set foot on the moon.

"I hope to make you proud. Thank you for the support you have given me," Berríos said in an interview with El Nuevo Día shortly after the ceremony, speaking to Puerto Rico, to whose beaches he hopes to return for vacation in as soon as two weeks.