Faheem, now a recent engineering graduate of the University of Southern California and a full-time electrical engineer for Northrop Grumman, gravitated towards math and engineering from a young age.
Starting as an Intern
“I didn’t think much of it,” says Faheem when his father encouraged him to apply for an internship with Northrop Grumman in 2016 while he was in high school. He was not expecting to receive an interview request a couple of weeks later. Nor did he realize then he would soon perform tests to ensure the JWST spacecraft’s 178 release devices were functioning properly, or to create code and perform tests a full-time engineer would otherwise do. All told, the testing process of the mirrors took a decade.
During our conversation, Faheem marveled that the telescope was one million miles away from the Earth in L2 Orbit, something his team planned and designed for during his 2019 internship. “A goal as a test engineer is to plan for survival situations. We designed tests for the spacecraft’s sun sensors which detect levels of radiation, and the spacecraft, in turn, maneuvers itself and flips around.”
Pic 2
Before its launch, the $10 billion instrument, developed by Northrop Grumman, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, had to be moved 5800 miles to French Guiana, a feat in itself. It required a nitrogen-cooled environment and a passage through the Panama Canal. Thankfully, it arrived there undamaged.
Faheem described the harsh conditions of space and anticipated the spacecraft facing both extreme hot and cold conditions throughout its journey, explaining, “the temperature on the cold side of the spacecraft can reach negative 348 degrees Fahrenheit.” The telescope has 18 mirrors and is 21 ft. wide.
In February 2022, NASA released the first images taken by the telescope, those of a star in the constellation Ursa Major, a group of stars commonly known as the Big Dipper, some 258 million light years away.
Peering into the past
The Webb is the largest and most complex telescope of its kind, fitted with all very sophisticated equipment. The telescope is designed to search the hidden depths of our universe, focusing on the faint light of early stars and galaxies created after the Big Bang, some 250 million years ago..It will be able to see through dense dust clouds that cover distant planets.
As reports begin to come in of the first photons of starlight being seen by the JWST team members, Faheem shares the amazing feat of people of all ages and from all parts of the world coming together to work on several individual components that now comprise the JWST. “The ability to take a concept to the discussion, to testing and code, and see all of it operating on a spacecraft while planning for contingencies is remarkable.”
Faheem recalls such a contingency where his team noticed the temperature of a thruster valve dropping rapidly just hours before the launch. He and his team immediately addressed the issue and worked to ensure sufficient power for heaters was available, and that the valves remained at an optimal temperature. “This was one hour before launch. The team did a phenomenal job recognizing and addressing the temperature, and managed to turn on the heaters.”
Faheem advises high school students that opportunities are present for those willing to seek them out. “A lot of things I thought as a high school student – that you have to be very knowledgeable and skilled to get a position - it’s never too early to start,” he says. “I’m glad companies are hiring individuals at a young age in high school. As long as you work hard, are curious and interested in something – go for it.” Faheem also serves as the lead for the Ismaili Student Network and is a part of the Aga Khan Education Board.
