Charles-Aime Nzeussi, born in Cameroon, West Africa, demonstrated his passion and commitment to the global space industry through volunteering, mentorship, and advocacy. Charles-Aimé Nzeussi Mbouendeu has served as a Teaching Associate for the Space Studies Program 2021 at International Space University (ISU) and completed his Master in Space Studies (MSS) from the same university. He has a background in Industrial and Environmental Risk management engineering and fundamental physics. He is now contributing to space sustainability related topics as a specialist, LCA, ESG & Climate Action at SES. 

He has volunteered in international associations, agencies, and initiatives to mainstream innovations. Still, he also brings up issues raised in the Humanitarian, Space, Safety, Security, and Environmental sphere to bridge science with policy, industry, and civil society. In addition to studying in the MSS program, Charles is the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) Strategic partnership Manager for Africa. Furthermore, his outstanding dynamism as a National Point of Contact in Cameroon and various volunteer position led SGAC to award him with the 2022 Africa Leadership Award; prior to that, he was nominated as Member of the Month in February 2021, STEA working group member of the year 2021 and he was also one of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Launchpad mentorship programme winners.

Charles-Aime Nzeussi’s role as part of the SGAC team:

My role entails building and managing relationships with key stakeholders from all over Africa. I contribute to the growth of the next generation of African Space Leaders by promoting collaboration, supporting information exchange, and pushing projects that boost space exploration, satellite technology, and related sectors in Africa. I am committed to playing a critical role in expanding the presence and impact of the space industry both within and outside of the African continent in order to create more opportunities, support global outreach, increase visibility for local initiatives, and engage with potential sponsors and partners willing to support the growth of the African Space Industry.

Charles-Aime Nzeussi, share with us your reaction to receiving the nomination:

I was surprised with a mix of emotions, including joy and a sense of accomplishment. I felt privileged and especially grateful for the recognition of my efforts in supporting the current dynamics and assisting NPoCs to gain more exposure for their initiatives and create more opportunities for youth students and young professionals passionate about space across the African continent.

What learnings have you got for those considering joining SGAC?

SGAC is an outstanding network of people advocating for space activities that exposed me to a diverse range of people from a variety of backgrounds. Through collaboration and teamwork, I improved my communication and coordination skills in order to reach our common goals. I gained excellent experience in problem-solving, project management expertise, organization skills, and critical thinking abilities through my volunteer work, which is now critical to my job in the space industry.

Would you like to share with us a special quote you feel guided by, or how would you motivate others to stay focused on their goals?

If I have to share 02 quotes with someone, the first will be from Mae Jemison C. «The best way to make dreams come true is to wake up ».

Indeed, it is an exciting time to be a part of the space industry, and space technologies and applications are becoming an increasingly important partfor big nations’ prosperity. In order to empower and transform Africa, we have to realize that we are all part of the solution and must give our utmost regardless of our title, gifts, or origin. We simply need to believe that what we are doing is critical to moving our community toward a more sustainable future.

If you’re putting in a lot of effort but not seeing results, think of this quote from my CEO at SES, Steve Collar: “We never know quite well what a win is!”