From Gaza to Mars: The Extraordinary Journey of Loay Elbasyouni

Loay Elbasyouni played a part in history with the flight of NASA’s Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity.

Loay Elbasyouni is a Palestinian electrical engineer at NASA. He contributed to the design of the Mars rover Perseverance and played a role in building the Ingenuity helicopter. Despite his achievements, he has not returned to Gaza in the last 20 years. While NASA collaborates closely with other space agencies like ESA and DLR, the Israeli Space Agency's top cooperation is with NASA. Nevertheless, NASA has not been able to bring back their extraordinary engineer to his homeland.

Elbasyouni has undertaken an incredible journey from his hometown of Beit Hanoun, located near the heavily-guarded Israeli frontier, to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, where he served as a contractor contributing to the design of the Ingenuity helicopter for NASA.

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

Elbasyouni received his education in UNRWA schools in Gaza before leaving in 1998 to pursue studies in the United States. He returned to Gaza briefly in 2000 before the onset of the second Palestinian intifada.

Facing financial challenges, he struggled to afford tuition at the University of Kentucky, particularly after the family farm was bulldozed. At one point, he worked over 90 hours a week at a Subway sandwich shop to make ends meet. He later transferred to the University of Louisville, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering. Since I was a kid, I have always had big dreams, and I have fought really hard. I had to drop out university when I first arrived in the US, because I couldn’t afford the fees, and I had to find work. (1)

In the predawn hours of April 19, 2021, Elbasyouni, despite COVID-19 restrictions, eagerly tuned into NASA TV from his home. As he watched the footage of Ingenuity lifting into the Martian atmosphere, he couldn't contain his excitement. In NASA's mission control room, cheers erupted, marking a triumph over Mars, a planet 293 million miles away. However, amidst this moment of victory, Elbasyouni couldn't shake the stark contrast. Despite conquering the challenges of space, the mere 20-mile distance separating his parents from the horrors of war in Gaza felt infinitely more daunting, a reminder of the harsh realities back on Earth. He says, “I sent a helicopter to Mars, but now I can’t even send food or water to my parents in Gaza.” Amidst the backdrop of war, that once triumphant moment feels like a distant memory, revealing the harsh realities of Earth in stark contrast and betrays the wisdom gifted by space exploration.

Even after more than two decades away from Gaza, Elbasyouni remains closely attuned to the ongoing challenges under the Israeli-led siege. His enduring love and deep sense of duty toward his homeland drive him to tirelessly advocate for and support Palestine, despite the geographical and temporal separation.

He says, “I’m very active in our Palestinian cause. I’m a volunteer with several NGOs which help people in Palestine; in education and other fields, for example. During the military offensives against Gaza, I was on the front line of protests and I have even talked to the US Congress to help in any possible way”. (2)(3)