From Iraq's Rooftops to NASA: Farah Al Fulfulee's Journey

Farah Al Fulfulee's fascination with space began at age four, stargazing from her Iraqi home's rooftop. Encouraged by her father, she pursued engineering at the University of Baghdad, graduating among the top students. Despite limited opportunities in Iraq's space industry, she worked in IT across the Middle East.

In 2016, Al Fulfulee moved to the U.S., facing challenges due to her non-American degree. She worked in software quality assurance while enhancing her skills. Her breakthrough came in 2022 with Boeing Defense, Space, and Security, aligning her closer to her NASA aspirations.

Less than a year later, she joined NASA's Johnson Space Center as a system design and analysis engineer for the International Space Station Program. Al Fulfulee contributes to space missions like SpaceX Crew-9 and Crew-10, and is involved in NASA studies and educational outreach.

Her journey continues as she pursues a master's in Space Operations Engineering, aiming to inspire future generations and achieve her dream of becoming an astronaut.