Deputy Observatory Manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Growing up in the bustling environments of Malaysia and Singapore, Hsiao Smith never envisioned a career with NASA, one of the most prestigious space exploration organizations in the world. Today, she holds the esteemed position of Deputy Observatory Manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a role she might not have imagined for herself in her youth. However, her journey to this significant role began when she relocated near NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. It was there that a high school counselor recognized her knack for math and science and encouraged her to apply for a junior fellowship program at the center.
Reflecting on her career path, Hsiao expressed, “I never could have imagined that a summer internship would change my life and lead to such a fulfilling career at NASA!” Before this pivotal moment, she was unaware of the intricacies of engineering. Now, with over 35 years of engineering experience at Goddard, she stands as a testament to the transformative power of seizing opportunities.
Hsiao’s involvement with NASA started with a program that allowed her to work at Goddard during summers and school breaks, maintaining her connection with the center while pursuing her college education. Her initial internship focused on flight dynamics, which piqued her interest in working more directly with flight hardware. This interest led her to transfer to the power branch, where she began designing high-voltage power supplies for scientific instruments destined for space missions.
Pursuing her passion for engineering, Hsiao obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Her journey continued as she transitioned to full-time work at Goddard, later earning a Master’s degree in Engineering Management. She credits her hands-on experience with flight hardware for providing her with a practical understanding of how classroom learning translates to real-world applications. “That experience was invaluable, and it gave me the opportunity to discover what I enjoy doing — designing and building flight hardware. And it was incredible to go from college straight into a job working as an engineer at NASA!” she noted.
Hsiao’s career trajectory quickly evolved as she moved into designing power systems for spacecraft, beginning with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE). This project marked her first experience seeing a project through from conceptual design to launch. Building upon this experience, she dedicated the next 13 years to the Hubble Space Telescope, first serving as the Power Systems Manager, then as the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph Instrument Manager, and ultimately as the Hubble Servicing Mission 4 Instrument Systems Manager. In these roles, she played a crucial part in delivering new instruments to Hubble and collaborating with astronauts to repair instruments in space.
“Working on Hubble opened the door to so many different opportunities,” Hsiao shared. “I had the honor of working not only with the dedicated and talented engineers and scientists here at Goddard but also with world-class experts from other NASA centers, universities, contractors throughout the U.S., and international partners. And I had incredible opportunities few others will ever have, like working with astronauts and going on the shuttle before it launched from the Kennedy Space Center!”
After her tenure with Hubble, Hsiao contributed to the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration project as a project manager. In collaboration with MIT/Lincoln Lab, she helped develop and test NASA’s first optical communication technology using lasers. Subsequently, she took on the role of Deputy Program Manager for the Joint Polar Satellite Systems (JPSS), where she was instrumental in designing the architecture and developing the cost and schedule for future JPSS missions.
Her expertise continued to expand as she became the Technical Deputy Division Manager for the Satellite Servicing Projects Division. This role involved advancing robotic servicing technologies, building on the legacy of the Hubble servicing missions. Her work demonstrated innovative ways robots could refuel spacecraft and service instruments.
Currently, Hsiao is a Deputy Observatory Manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. In this role, she collaborates with Goddard’s engineering team to construct the Roman spacecraft bus, which includes critical components such as avionics, attitude control, communication, propulsion systems, solar arrays, deployable aperture covers, and the outer barrel assembly. Her current focus is on testing the newly combined spacecraft and payload.
“It’s a privilege to manage and coordinate Roman hardware from the subsystem level to ensure that once they all work individually, they all function together as an observatory,” Hsiao explains. Her career is marked by a consistent theme of problem-solving, a skill she values deeply.
Hsiao finds excitement in the uncertainties of her workday, stating, “It’s exciting to come to work every day not knowing what’s in store for me. It’s about coming in and resolving issues, making sure the team has the resources they need to get their jobs done.”
To aspiring engineers, Hsiao offers this advice: embrace new opportunities, relentlessly pursue your dream job, and seek guidance from mentors and professionals in your field of interest. “I’m working in my dream job, and it all goes back to my great mentors and bosses who were willing to give me opportunities beyond my expectations and to guide me toward my interests,” she reflects. Her career, filled with enriching experiences, all began with a simple application as a high school senior, demonstrating that one opportunity can set the stage for an extraordinary journey.
For more insights into Hsiao Smith’s remarkable career and contributions to NASA, you can visit the official NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center website.
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