UDC alumna earns spot on the team writing software for next NASA flight mission

As a software engineer at Lockheed Martin Space, Aaliya Muhammad has contributed significantly to the docking system for the next NASA space mission in November. She credits UDC professors for assisting her with the internship that led to her landing her dream job a year before her 2020 graduation.

“NASA is our customer, and I’m writing flight software for connecting our space vehicle with other vehicles in space,” Muhammad said. “The vehicle is also reusable. Unlike [in] the past, after splashdown most of the components can be reused in future missions.”

Muhammad is enthusiastic as she describes seeing her education and work experiences culminate in her mission-driven career at Lockheed Martin Space.

Muhammad started her college career at Fordham University in New York as a business major and continued her studies at the University of Maryland. After working a few jobs, she eventually discovered her love of computer technology and problem-solving and began moving up the ranks as a manager at Geek Squad.

“My education has not been linear,” Muhammad said. “I’ve had different jobs and experiences, but working at Geek Squad gave me clarity. I decided to go back to school at UDC in 2017, and that’s when I started studying computer science. I ended up finishing my degree at UDC. It was local, affordable, and my job was helping me pay for it.”

A love of learning and a commitment to education are proud family traditions that were handed down to her and her siblings by her mother.

Born and raised in DC, Muhammad’s mother is an accountant who emphasized education and instilled self-confidence in her children. Her two older brothers are also in technical careers in civil engineering and technical communications.

“My mom has always been big on education,” Muhammad said. “I was a bookworm growing up. We would go to the library multiple times a week. That was the highlight of my week. Learning is a core part of life.”

While at UDC, Muhammad was on the honor roll and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Computer Science Club. She was also a teaching assistant in the Department of Computer Science and Technology.

“To me, UDC means a supportive community,” she said. “The professors are so invested in the students. Whenever opportunities come up, professors know your name.”

Muhammad discovered her interest in competitive problem-solving and helping people understand concepts, especially in her programming classes.

“I got a few students together to do the two-day Capital One Coding Hack-a-Thon,” she said. “We didn’t win, but it was a fun activity competing with local techies.

“Professor Joel Belcher was very supportive, answering our questions even when we called at 11:30 at night. He really solidified my passion for programming and software engineering. He was a really great teacher who shared a lot of anecdotes about the industry. He was very encouraging.”

UDC professors also urged Muhammad to attend the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) Conference in DC, where she was interviewed by representatives from Lockheed Martin and was selected for a three-month internship during the summer of her junior year in 2018.

During the next school year, she worked part-time for Lockheed as an intern ambassador, attending various conferences to help recruit new interns.

After the internship ended, Muhammad was offered a full-time job during her senior year. “There was a sense of confidence coming back to class knowing I had a full-time job waiting for me.”

Muhammad also gave birth to twin daughters before graduating from UDC.

After graduation, Muhammad planned to work in Colorado, but that changed because of the global pandemic. Instead, she was able to work remotely for Lockheed Martin from Washington, DC, with occasional trips to Colorado for testing projects. Her group stays connected through online team-building exercises and by supporting each other’s work.

Lockheed Martin Space is one of the four major business divisions of Lockheed Martin and is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado, with sites throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.

“Most of the work can be done remotely,” Muhammad said. “We have a lot of physical sensors and physical computers that are running the software that interacts. There are some things we have to test in person to make sure that it is working properly.”

When Muhammad isn’t working remotely, she works with a team in Colorado for interface testing of the hardware and software at one of Lockheed’s largest testing facilities.

“This testing facility is actually built into the bedrock, and one of the unique things about it is that it’s as close as you can get to zero vibrations,” she said. “We are able to test in an environment that’s closer to outer space because there is not interference.”

As the November 2024 NASA space launch approaches, Muhammad said that she is among the employees whose names are in the raffle to attend the launch.

“I’ve always dreamed big, made a plan and worked the plan,” she said. “I feel like the biggest gift that the Creator has given to me is my life. The best thing I can give to the Creator is what I do with that life.”