My Journey to the Space Generation Congress 2019 & International Astronautical Congress 2019 

by Mr. Zimichael Damtew Gebeyehu

                   I have always aspired to achieve big things in my endeavor and the World Organization for Sustainability Leadership (WOSL) has been supporting me to make great things possible. One of the major lesson that WOSL thought me is to be a global citizen and being “the change agent”. In October 2019, I got a chance to participate at the Space Generation Congress (SGC) 2019 at Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center (GVC) in Crystal City, Virginia. I was the only delegate representing my country at this global space industry conference. Without WOSL’s financial support I would not been able to participate at this conference. The Space Generation Congress is a prestigious conference organized by the Space Generation Advisory Council for students and young professionals in the space industry.

In the conference, I met engineers, analysts, and scientists in the space arena from all around the world. I was part of working group 1 sponsored by German Aerospace Center (DLR), which was about post ISS activities in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). We assed the uses of LEO in the coming decades and put forth recommendations for the UN, SGAC, & space industries. It was really a great experience for me to meet people from all around the world who share my strong passion for space exploration and unite our thoughts to push humanity’s exploration of space. In this 3-day event, we had working group discussions and also keynote speakers from the space industry. At the last day of the conference, we had a final presentation about our recommendation from our working group. I was really honored to be part of the Space Generation Congress Gala Dinner at the Air & Space Museum in Washington DC. That night, I met high stakeholders, engineers, professors, and young professionals in the space industry. After the conference, I was also a delegate for NASA’s Space Exploration Workshop at Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. In the workshop, we had different presentations from NASA’s Satellite Communication & Navigation Office about the upcoming lunar and Martian missions in relation to communication. After that we were grouped into three different astronaut crews in order to simulate a Martian mission, and we were given different scenarios regarding to communication. It was an exciting workshop as I had a chance to think like an astronaut and make decisions on the simulated mission.  

                After SGC 2019, I got a chance to participate at the International Astronautical Congress 2019 at Walter E. Convention center in Washington DC, which is organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), International Astronautical Federation, and many many more companies and national space agencies. I met with engineers, CEOs, scientists from all around the globe in the space industry. That is where I met NASA’s former administrator Dr. Charles Bolden, NASA’s former deputy administrator Dr. Dava Newman, NASA’s first black American woman astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison and other influential persons.

  The IAC is a five-day event with plenary discussions, technical presentations, keynote speeches, and exhibitions from different agencies & companies in the space industry. At the IAC, I got the opportunity to know more about the upcoming manned space exploration missions form all around the world. I have also met the next generation space leaders from different parts of the world. I really want to thank WOSL for supporting me to attend these two conferences and satisfy my passion for space exploration and rocketry.