Zaida said she worked on the thermal control systems as part of the Artemis One launch, when NASA sent an uncrewed vehicle around the moon and explained how it works: "So the heat shield is important because that's the part that protects the vehicle when it reenters into the Earth. So, I was able to work on that team, and I think that was a very memorable experience for me."
Zaida is currently working on the lunar architecture team and says it's all about thinking about future Artemis missions, not just about going to the moon but life on the moon. She said, "How are the things gonna move on the moon? Where are the logistics? Where are the mobility systems? Everything working together, think comm, navigation, everything that you would think of that you need on Earth, but now you need to have that on the moon. "
The University of Houston Alum said her job is nothing short of living out her dream since she was inspired by engineers who came before her, like Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to travel into space.
While she continues to work her way up the ranks at work, she's also evolved at home. Zaida shared a few photos of her new baby boy, and as a new mom, she credits her family and her Salvadoran roots for allowing her career to blast off in ways she talks about on Instagram as "The Space Latina," a platform that's grown into a place of encouragement for other Latinas interested in STEM.
"I think there are a lot of people that are still unsure of what their place is in the world of...Can I be an engineer? Can I be a scientist? Because they don't have the representation or feel like maybe that's not for me. So I think that's one of the important things with the platform is to show them like, Hey, like I am a Latina in STEM, and there are paths for a lot of people if they're interested in becoming a Latina in STEM too."
That's why Zaida says it's essential for her to share her personal story, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month. Like those who came before her, she said, "I wanna be part of the group that says, like, hey, I helped put humans back on the moon, or I helped humans get to Mars."