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Farah Alibay

Farah Alibay is a Canadian aerospace and systems engineer who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Farah Alibay is a Canadian aerospace and systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She has worked on Mars exploration missions including InSight, Mars Cube One (MarCO), and Mars 2020, and later served as lead flight systems engineer for SPHEREx. Alibay is also known as a science communicator and advocate for diversity in STEM.

Early life and education

Biographical sources describe Alibay as being born in Montréal, Quebec, and later studying engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some sources also note early internships and research connected to NASA and space systems.

Career at NASA JPL

Alibay works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a systems engineer. Sources identify her roles on InSight, MarCO, Mars 2020, and SPHEREx.

Mars missions

Alibay became known for work connected to Mars exploration, including the InSight mission and NASA’s Mars 2020 mission. Coverage also links her to the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter operations.

Public outreach

Alibay is described as a science communicator who speaks publicly about engineering and representation in STEM. Several profiles note her outreach work and role-model status, especially for women and underrepresented groups.

Key facts

  • Alibay is a Canadian engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
  • She has worked on the InSight Mars lander and the Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats.
  • She contributed to NASA’s Mars 2020 mission, including Perseverance and Ingenuity.
  • NASA says she is the lead flight system engineer on SPHEREx, an infrared space telescope.
  • She is also active as a science communicator and public speaker.
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Canadian context

Farah Alibay is a Canadian scientist and engineer from Montréal, making her a prominent Canadian figure in international space exploration. Her work has been covered widely in Canadian media and by Canadian universities and institutions.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Farah Alibay?
Farah Alibay is a Canadian aerospace and systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, known for work on Mars exploration missions and SPHEREx.
What missions has she worked on?
Sources name InSight, Mars Cube One (MarCO), Mars 2020, and SPHEREx.
What is her connection to Perseverance?
She was part of the Mars 2020 effort, which sent the Perseverance rover to Mars, and CBC reported she would help drive the rover remotely after landing.
Where is Farah Alibay from?
Biographical sources identify her as Montréal-born or born in Montréal, Quebec.
What does she do at NASA now?
NASA describes her as the lead flight systems engineer for SPHEREx, an infrared telescope mission.

References

  1. NASA Science — https://science.nasa.gov/people/farah-alibay/
    Supports: Current NASA role, SPHEREx work, and overview of her systems engineering career.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farah_Alibay
    Supports: Canadian systems engineer at NASA JPL and missions worked on.
  3. French Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farah_Alibay
    Supports: Montréal birth, Canadian aerospace engineer, and JPL work.
  4. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf0o62vDSnY
    Supports: JPL systems engineer role, InSight, MarCO, and Mars 2020 involvement.
  5. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgKAk3pUH0w
    Supports: Concordia honorary doctorate profile, Perseverance, Ingenuity, SPHEREx, and outreach work.
  6. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/farah-alibay-mars-perseverance-rover-1.5673100
    Supports: Montreal-born identification and role in Perseverance operations.
  7. German Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farah_Alibay
    Supports: Montreal birth, Canadian space engineer, and missions worked on.
  8. NASA — https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/farah-alibay-systems-engineer/
    Supports: NASA role model profile and systems engineer description.