{{short description|American engineer at Amazon's Kuiper Systems}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox scientist | name = MiMi Aung | native_name = မိမိအောင် | native_name_lang = my | image = MiMi Aung.jpg | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}} | fields = Electrical engineering, space science | workplaces = NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Amazon Kuiper Systems | education = Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BSEE, MS) | known_for = Project lead for Mars Helicopter Ingenuity, which made the first extraterrestrial powered, controlled flight on April 19, 2021 | awards = 100 Women, member of the National Academy of Engineering | children = 2 }}
'''MiMi Aung''' ({{langx|my|မိမိအောင်}}, {{IPA|my|mḭ mḭ àʊɰ̃}}; born 1968) is a Burmese-American engineer. Currently, she is director of technical program management for Amazon's Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase broadband internet access through an array of satellites in low Earth orbit.
Aung was born in the United States, where her parents met, though her family returned to Burma when she was 2 years old.<ref name="ge.usembassy.gov">{{Cite web|date=2021-04-25|title=Meet the Burmese American who led NASA's flight on Mars|url=https://ge.usembassy.gov/meet-the-burmese-american-who-led-nasas-flight-on-mars/|access-date=2021-05-14|website=U.S. Embassy in Georgia|language=en-US}}</ref> After spending her childhood in Burma and Malaysia, Aung returned to the United States at age 16 and studied engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she received her Bachelor's and master's degrees.
In 1990, she joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).<ref name="Discover" /> She was a lead engineer on the Mars Helicopter ''Ingenuity'', the first extraterrestrial aircraft.<ref name="ECE">{{cite web |last1=Park |first1=Joseph |title=Illinois ECE Alumna Oversees NASA'S Ingenuity Helicopter Mission |url=https://ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/news/33967 |website=The Grainger College of Engineering - Electrical & Computer Engineering |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=12 May 2021 |date=9 April 2021}}</ref> On February 18, 2021, Ingenuity arrived on Mars, and on April 19 it took its first 39-second flight.<ref name="Quick" /> Aung said, it “was an incredible moment” and “This morning our dream came true.” The flight was being compared to the first flight in 1903 of the Wright brothers' airplane, a small piece of which was carried by the helicopter to Mars.<ref name="Share">{{cite web |last1=Hartman |first1=Leigh |title=Meet the Burmese American who led NASA's flight on Mars |url=https://share.lab.prod.getusinfo.com/burmese-american-led-nasas-mars-helicopter-flight/ |website=SHAREAMERICA |publisher=U.S. Department of State |access-date=27 May 2021 |date=April 26, 2021}}</ref>
== Early life and family == MiMi Aung's parents met in the United States when they were studying for their doctorates. Her mother, Hla Hla Sein, was the first woman from Myanmar to earn a doctoral degree in mathematics. Her father, Thein Aung, received his doctorate in chemistry.<ref name="mmt" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/popular-science/20190812/281608127033061|title=The engineer building a drone for Mars|last=|first=|date=|via=PressReader|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcet.org/summer-of-space/a-womans-place-is-in-space-meet-eight-asian-american-women-reaching-for-the-stars|title=A Woman's Place is in Space: Meet Eight Asian American Women Reaching for the Stars|last=Apeles|first=Teena|date=2019-07-11|website=KCET|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref name="popmech" />
Aung was born in Illinois and returned to Myanmar with her parents when she was two and a half years old.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://women.jpl.nasa.gov/|title=Women @ JPL|website=women.jpl.nasa.gov|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref name="popmech">{{Cite web|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a23666/right-kind-of-crazy-nasa-jpl/|title=What Happens Inside NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab Changes the World|last=Detwiler|first=Jacqueline|date=2016-11-03|website=Popular Mechanics|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref name="mmt">{{cite journal|first=Phoe|last=Wa|title=Burmese American engineer powering NASA to Mars|journal=Myanmar Times|url=https://www.mmtimes.com/news/burmese-american-engineer-powering-nasa-mars.html|date=2020-12-08|access-date=30 March 2021|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521085347/https://www.mmtimes.com/news/burmese-american-engineer-powering-nasa-mars.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> When she was 11, the family moved to Malaysia, where she attended St. Christopher's School.<ref name="mmt" /> At the age of 16, her parents arranged for her to return to the U.S. and stay with some friends in Illinois while she finished her education.<ref name="Discover">{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Corey S. |title=Deep-Space Ears, Interstellar Eyes, and Off-World Wings |url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/deep-space-ears-interstellar-eyes-and-off-world-wings |website=Discover |access-date=13 May 2021 |date=31 March 2021}}</ref> Her two younger sisters were not born in the U.S. and so could not emigrate there.<ref name="popmech" />
Aung is married and has two children.<ref name="mmt" /><ref name="TEDx">{{cite web |last1=Mon |first1=Thiri Thant |title=TEDxYangon Conversations MiMi Aung |website=YouTube |date=2020-12-08 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FkPL5fS0ys |access-date=30 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="Outlook">{{cite news |last1=Castellanos |first1=Camila |title=LCF Resident Aung Hoping Mars Mission Can Fly Higher |url=https://outlooknewspapers.com/lcf-resident-aung-hoping-mars-mission-can-fly-higher/ |access-date=30 May 2021 |date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>
== Education == Interested in mathematics at a young age,<ref name="Discover" /> Aung studied electrical engineering<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.schoolsobservatory.org/careers/interested/making/mimi-aung | title=MiMi Aung | National Schools' Observatory }}</ref> at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where she earned her bachelor's degree, followed by a master's degree in 1990 with a focus on communications and signal processing.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://nae.edu/173679/MiMi-Aung|title=MiMi Aung|website=NAE Website|access-date=2021-05-28}}</ref> During her master's program, she was introduced to JPL's work in deep space exploration and its relationship to signal processing after a conversation with one of her professors.<ref name="Discover" />
== Research and career == thumb|Teddy Tzanetos, MiMi Aung and Bob Balaram monitoring a helicopter flight === NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) === In 1990, Aung joined JPL, where she worked on various projects related to spaceflight and the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN).
==== Deep Space Network (DSN) ==== Aung started her career working in the Radio Frequency and Microwave Subsystems Section of the DSN, where she developed and tested algorithms for the Block V Receiver. She deployed the digital receiver at each of the world's three DSN complexes, before working on monopulse radar systems. These systems were used in combination with the 34-meter antennas for the DSN. She worked on the 240-GHz radiometer for the Earth Orbiting System Microwave Limb Sounder.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />
Aung's next project involved the StarLight two-spacecraft interferometer, for which she designed the autonomous formation radio frequency flying sensor.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Tien|first1=J. Y.|last2=Purcell|first2=G. H.|last3=Amaro|first3=L. R.|last4=Young|first4=L. E.|last5=Mimi Aung|last6=Srinivasan|first6=J. M.|last7=Archer|first7=E. D.|last8=Vozoff|first8=A. M.|last9=Yong Chong|title=2003 IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.03TH8652) |chapter=Technology validation of the autonomous formation flying sensor for precision formation flying |date=2003|volume=1|pages=1–140 vol.1|doi=10.1109/AERO.2003.1235048|isbn=0-7803-7651-X|s2cid=111365995}}</ref> She was selected as the project element manager of the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF)'s formation flying program.,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lchsbuildingyourpath2018.sched.com/speaker/maung1|title=MiMi Aung's schedule for LCHS Building Your Path|website=lchsbuildingyourpath2018.sched.com|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> but after funding for the TPF was indefinitely delayed in 2006, the project was postponed and was eventually formally canceled in 2011.<ref name="Discover" />
In 2003, Aung was made technical group supervisor of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control Sensors Group. In this capacity she created sensor technologies for spaceflight missions. She became increasingly interested in autonomous space exploration and was made manager of the section in 2010.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> She was also a member of the ''Psyche'' spacecraft project team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://psyche.asu.edu/mission/the-team/full-psyche-team/|title=The Full Psyche Team|website=Psyche Mission|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> In 2013 she became Deputy Manager of the Autonomous Systems Division.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airspacemag.com/space/helicopter-dreams-of-mars-180971739/|title=A Helicopter Dreams of Mars|last=Lerner|first=Preston|website=Air & Space Magazine|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
==== Mars helicopter project ==== thumb|President Biden is briefed by MiMi Aung after the first flight of NASA's ''Ingenuity'' helicopter on Mars on Monday, April 19, 2021|alt=President biden talking to MiMi Aung via video call Since 2015, Aung has been the lead for Mars helicopter technology demonstration development<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> and oversees the diverse team that designed, built, tested and flew Ingenuity. Other team members include chief engineer Bob Balaram, originally from India, and chief pilot Håvard Grip, originally from Norway.<ref name="ge.usembassy.gov"/><ref name="Share" />
The atmosphere on Mars is only 1% of the atmospheric density on Earth, so a key question was how to generate enough lift for flight.<ref name="60 Minutes">{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Anderson |title=NASA begins search for ancient life on Mars after arrival of Perseverance, Ingenuity spacecrafts [sic]|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mars-life-ingenuity-helicopter-perseverance-rover-60-minutes-2021-05-09/ |access-date=2 June 2021 |date=May 9, 2021}}</ref> The helicopter had to be very light-weight, and its blades had to be able to spin much faster than they would need to do on Earth.<ref name="TEDx" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-nasa-mars-helicopter-20180511-story.html|title=How hard is it to fly a helicopter on Mars? NASA will soon find out|date=2018-05-11|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> In addition, the helicopter could not be controlled by someone on Earth because radio signals take too long to get to Mars. As a result, engineers at JPL equipped Ingenuity with a computerized system that allows it to stabilize itself and navigate on its own.<ref name="60 Minutes" />
The first flight tests of the Mars Helicopter took place within the JPL space simulator in early 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7361|title=NASA's Mars Helicopter Completes Flight Tests|website=NASA/JPL|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://astronomynow.com/2019/06/10/nasa-helicopter-passes-key-tests-on-road-to-mars-flight/|title=NASA helicopter passes key tests on road to Mars flight – Astronomy Now|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/nasa-completes-successful-test-of-mars-helicopter-a4104081.html|title=NASA completes successful test of Mars 'helicopter'|date=2019-03-29|website=Evening Standard|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> The total cost of the helicopter was around $23 million, with a weight less than 1.8 kg.<ref>{{cite tweet | user = jesswade | number = 1184735534884753408 | title = 🚀 Meet MiMi Aung, electronic engineer, one of @BBC's #100Women and lead for the @NASAJPL Mars 🚁. The helicopter weighs 1.8kg and cost ~$23 million. Aung grew up in 🇲🇲 and moved to the 🇺🇸 on her own aged 16 to study. | access-date = 19 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47886796 |title= Mars mission: Why Nasa is sending a helicopter to Mars in 2020 |website=www.bbc.co.uk| access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> The helicopter was attached to the belly of the ''Perseverance'' rover and launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on July 30, 2020, as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aecnext.com/speaker/mimi-aung/|title=MiMi Aung|website=AEC Next|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theengineer.co.uk/mars-helicopter-nasa-2020/|title=Mars Helicopter to launch as part of Nasa's 2020 mission|date=2018-05-14|website=The Engineer|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> The rover successfully landed in Jezero Crater on Mars on February 18, 2021,<ref name="Quick">{{cite web |title=Quick Facts |url=https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/#Quick-Facts |website=MARS Helicopter Tech Demo |publisher=NASA Science Mission Directorate |access-date=29 May 2021}}</ref> and two days later, JPL received its first status report from ''Ingenuity'' via the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The helicopter was successfully deployed on April 3, 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Nasa successfully flies small helicopter on Mars|work=BBC News|date=19 April 2021|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56799755|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Succeeds in Historic First Flight|url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-succeeds-in-historic-first-flight/|access-date=19 April 2021|website=NASA|date=19 April 2021}}</ref>
==== Ingenuity Mars flights ==== thumb|Perseverance's NavCams Views Ingenuity During its Third Flight On April 19, 2021, Ingenuity made the first powered, controlled flight by an aircraft on another planet.<ref name="mars.nasa.gov">{{Cite web|last=mars.nasa.gov|title=Mars Helicopter|url=https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/|access-date=2021-05-14|website=mars.nasa.gov|language=en}}</ref> The team at JPL confirmed the flight succeeded after receiving data from the helicopter via the rover at 6:46 a.m. EDT (3:46 a.m. PDT).<ref>{{Cite web|last=mars.nasa.gov|title=NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Succeeds in Historic First Flight|url=https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8923/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-succeeds-in-historic-first-flight|access-date=2021-05-14|website=NASA’s Mars Exploration Program|language=en}}</ref>
The helicopter completed its technology demonstration after three successful flights. For the first flight, Ingenuity took off, climbed to about {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above the ground, hovered in the air briefly, completed a turn, and then landed. After that, the helicopter successfully performed additional experimental flights of incrementally farther distance and greater altitude.<ref name="mars.nasa.gov"/> ''Ingenuity'' had been operating on Mars for {{age in sols|2021|02|18|2024|01|25}} sols ({{age in days|2021|02|18|2024|01|25}} total days; <small>''{{Age in years and days|18 February 2021|25 January 2023}}''</small>) before retirement, when all four of its rotor blades was damaged, causing NASA to retire the craft.<ref name="NASA_20240125">{{cite web | url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/after-three-years-on-mars-nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-mission-ends | title=After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends | website=Jet Propulsion Laboratory }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=NASA Science Live: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Tribute & Legacy | date=31 January 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkZ6jkqPMEc |access-date=2024-02-01 |language=en}}</ref>
=== Amazon Kuiper Systems === In July 2021, after 30 years at JPL, Aung left for a new role as director of technical program management at Amazon's Kuiper Systems. This project is an initiative to improve broadband internet access to communities around the world using a network of satellites in low Earth orbit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wolfsteller |first1=Pilar |title=MiMi Aung's out of this world Ingenuity |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/flight-international/mimi-aungs-out-of-this-world-ingenuity/144881.article |website=FlightGlobal |access-date=31 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="Amazon" />
== Awards and public engagement == For her accomplishments, Aung has been: * Selected as one of the top 100 Women in the world by the BBC in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50042279|title=BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?|date=2019-10-16|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> * Named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021<ref name="TIME">{{cite magazine |last1=Weir |first1=Andy |title=MiMi Aung: The 100 Most Influential People of 2021 |url=https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2021/6095977/mimi-aung/ |magazine=Time |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=14 September 2021}}</ref> * Inducted in 2022 as a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), America’s leading engineering organization, which advises the federal government on matters related to science and technology. All members are elected by their peers. Aung was recognized for her pioneering work on the NASA Mars Helicopter and the first flight on another planet.<ref name="NAE">{{cite web |title=Ms. MiMi Aung |url=https://www.nae.edu/270617/Ms-MiMi-Aung |website=NAE Website |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=2022}}</ref><ref name="Amazon">{{cite web |last1=Kellner |first1=Tomas |title=Amazon engineers and scientists honored for work in space travel, search, and robotics |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/amazon-engineers-and-scientists-honored-for-work-in-space-travel-computer-humor-and-robotics |website=US About Amazon |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=14 October 2022}}</ref> * Honored with the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois for her "technical contributions and innovation in spacecraft, autonomy in space and for leadership on the NASA helicopter Ingenuity."<ref name="Illinois ECE">{{cite web |title=2022 Distinguished Alumni Award: MiMi Aung |url=https://ece.illinois.edu/alumni/awards/distinguished/22-aung |website=University of Illinois Electrical & Computer Engineering |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=2022}}</ref> * Awarded in 2025 the Prix international d’astronautique by the Société astronomique de France.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prix et médailles |url=https://saf-astronomie.fr/prix/}}</ref>
Aung is an expert for The Planetary Society<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetary.org/connect/our-experts/profiles/mimi-aung.html|title=MiMi Aung|website=www.planetary.org|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> and has written for ''Spaceflight''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/tag/mimi-aung/|title=Mimi Aung – Spaceflight Now|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref>
During the development of the helicopter, Aung installed a webcam in the cleanroom at JPL that allowed the public to watch the team's progress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bgr.com/2019/06/07/mars-2020-live-stream-webcam-jpl/|title=NASA set up a webcam so you can watch them build the Mars 2020 rover|last=Wehner|first=Mike|date=2019-06-08|website=BGR|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref>
Aung was featured in the 2019 documentary ''Space Queens'', along with several other women who were inspired by Apollo 11. The archival footage mentioned her involvement in the Mars 2020 project and, in particular, her work on the Ingenuity helicopter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.napier.ac.uk:443/about-us/news/celebrating-the-queens-of-space/|title=Celebrating the Queens of Space|website=Napier|accessdate=Feb 19, 2021}}</ref>
On 24 April 2023, Aung spoke at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her lecture "The Sky’s Not the Limit: My Journey into Space Exploration and STEM," described her personal journey as a space engineer.<ref name="Radcliffe">{{cite web |title=The Sky's Not the Limit: My Journey into Space Exploration and STEM |url=https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2023-mimi-aung-lecture |website=Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=24 April 2023}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}}
== External links == * [https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/ NASA Mars Helicopter main webpage] * [https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/status/ Helicopter project status] * [https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/nasa-press-conference-transcript-on-mars-helicopter-ingenuity-april-19 Transcript of April 19, 2021, NASA press conference following first flight of Ingenuity] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXZWZJj2k60 Excerpt from documentary ''Space Queens'']
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aung, MiMi}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:NASA engineers Category:American people of Burmese descent Category:Grainger College of Engineering alumni Category:Jet Propulsion Laboratory faculty Category:Burmese engineers Category:20th-century American women engineers Category:20th-century American engineers Category:21st-century American women engineers Category:21st-century American engineers