Macquarie University mechanical engineer Sana Syed draws on her experience in precision engineering to lead the adaptation and miniaturisation of MALYA, a thermal infrared camera for Mission ShakthiSAT, at the University's Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO).

Sana Syed first joined Macquarie University as a student around four years ago. For the past three years, she has been working at AAO as a mechanical engineer, contributing to the development of advanced instrumentation for astronomy and space exploration.

Ms Syed holds a Master of Engineering Management degree from Macquarie University and brings a diverse engineering background spanning developmental research and industry. Before moving to Australia, she worked on developing precision motion systems for robot-assisted eye surgery; cryogenic systems, that is, thermal systems operating in extremely low-temperature environments for various applications; and structural multiphysics simulations to de-risk certification testing of electrical power management systems at Eaton Corporation.

"I've always been curious about systems that combine multiple engineering disciplines," Ms Syed says.

"At AAO, I get to design, develop, build, test and commission instruments for astronomy and space exploration with an amazing team of engineers, researchers and scientists, while increasingly taking on technical ownership and leadership across the various instrument development phases."

At AAO, she has helped develop the DIRAC Infrared camera system for the East Anatolia Observatory in Türkiye and the High-Resolution Spectrograph System for the Devasthal Optical Telescope in India.

Ms Syed says, "Although the environments and design constraints differ between astronomical and space instruments, they share challenges in precision, thermal control and reliability. It's exciting to see how our expertise in astronomical instrumentation translates into space technologies."

A key part of Ms Syed's work involves environmental verification, including the use of specialised testing facilities that simulate harsh operating environments.

"I have three favourites, the first being the Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC)," she says. "It essentially helps to create vacuum in addition to a range of temperature conditions, allowing us to preview whether the instruments that we've built can survive extreme conditions for space and astronomy applications."

Leading Macquarie's role in Mission ShakthiSAT

This year, Ms Syed has played a key role in Macquarie University's contribution to Mission ShakthiSAT, an all-female-led space mission. AAO is an official payload partner for the mission, which aims to empower 12,000 girls from 108 countries through hands-on satellite-building education, training and mentorship.

"Representing AAO and Macquarie on Mission ShakthiSAT, from leading the development of the MALYA thermal infrared camera payload for this mission to teaching with high school students from around the world through the engineering workshops, was something I feel proud of," Ms Syed says. "It was a special opportunity to bring together two things I really enjoy: building cool things and sharing the joy of engineering with the next generation."

In collaboration with Macquarie's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MAPS), AAO is contributing the MALYA Infrared Thermal Camera.

Ms Syed travelled to India in August with MAPS Postdoctoral Researcher Kateryna Andrych to represent Macquarie University and support on-site engineering workshops.

The MALYA payload developed for Mission ShakthiSAT was also showcased and integrated with the payload computer and the 12U CubeSAT, which will be launched from India aboard the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) later this year.

"Having studied and worked in India before moving to Australia, it was especially rewarding to return and share my engineering experience with the next generation. It felt like coming full circle, from being a student myself to helping young women explore their own paths in engineering and other STEM professions," Ms Syed says.

Ms Syed says one of the most rewarding aspects of her work at Macquarie is what diverse teams can achieve. "What's wonderful about working here is seeing what a truly diverse team can achieve, quietly pushing the boundaries of what's possible with the astronomical and space state-of-the-art instrumentation systems," she says.

"I'm also passionate about making engineering and space technology more accessible for the next generation of engineers and scientists through real-world, multidisciplinary STEM experiences."