From Hubble to Webb, Nabil Afram Works IT for the Big Goddard missions

Name: Nabil Afram
Title: Hubble Space Telescope IT Operations Manager

What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard's mission?

I am the deputy IT manager for the ground systems of the Hubble Space Telescope. I joined NASA in 1985 working on the International Ultraviolet Explorer program. I worked there for a couple of years before joining the Hubble team in June of 1987, a few years before the telescope launched. I started off with Hubble as a computer operator, and later became a programmer analyst. In this role, I was doing database work that supported the prelaunch of the Hubble Space Telescope. I have supported every servicing mission to date - all five of them. Today, I am a part of a team that consists of about 20 individuals who all do IT for the ground systems of Hubble. We also have the opportunity to support the James Webb Space Telescope. My team works on every facet of ground systems from an IT, security systems, and network prospective. I was also very fortunate to help build the ground system for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, renamed Landsat 8 after its launch.

What is your educational background?

I attended Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where I earned my Associate of Arts degree. While working at NASA, I went back to school and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems management from the University of Maryland, University College (now known as University of Maryland Global Campus).

What was your path to working at Goddard?

I was born in Iraq. I came to the United States in 1980, and I have never returned since. This is home for me. As a kid, I was always interested in building computer circuits and trying to figure out how computers worked. Later in life, when I attended Prince George's Community College, I had the opportunity to take programming classes to further my interest in computers. One of the topics they were always talking about in school was NASA. I was able to apply and was very fortunate enough to be accepted to work for the International Ultraviolet Explorer program.

What is your management style?

I have been a part of the hiring process for many of the individuals who work for me on my team. My team is dedicated to the NASA mission, and they do incredible work. I fully trust their skills, which gives me great confidence in their abilities.

How do you engage with new members of the team?

Mentoring new hires is something that I really enjoy doing, especially after 36 years of experience at NASA. When we have new hires, I really try to tutor them as much as I can and lead them into their next positions. As people retire, it is my hope that these individuals have the skills and experience to be able to pick up the torch and carry the program on.

What inspires you about the Hubble Space Telescope?

I am inspired by how the Hubble Space Telescope has been an amazing vehicle that underwent five successful servicing missions. Every servicing mission has been successful in that we were able to replace parts that failed and upgrade them with functioning parts. The most rewarding aspect of my job is being able to build these new grounds systems and see them work successfully throughout the years that Hubble has flown.

You have been with the Hubble program since 1987, and have been a part of many anomalies, starting with the spherical aberration in its primary mirror, discovered after launch in 1990. How does it feel to be a part of the Hubble Team when issues arise, and servicing missions are deployed?

Every servicing mission feels like we are working on a new satellite. During a servicing mission, I manage the current ground system and then build an entirely new ground system to support the new instruments. As the astronauts replace the failed instruments with new instruments, we switch to that new operating system in order to be able to support the upgraded components. Over years of experience, you learn to take a deep breath and do the best that you can. During an anomaly that happened recently, Hubble was put into safe mode. I was hoping for the best. The team that we have on Hubble is second to none. I think they did an awesome job at bringing it back to life.

What is your motto when managing the Hubble team?

"Roll up your sleeves and do the best you can!"

Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's talented and diverse workforce. On average, the Conversations have been published twice a month since May 2011 and are archived on Goddard's "Our People" webpage.

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