Q&A with Gateway: Meet Sean Fuller, International Partner Manager for the Gateway Program
Built with international and industry partners, the Gateway will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon this decade. As the international partner manager for the Gateway program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Sean Fuller plays an important role in negotiating and integrating with international partners. Just last month, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed an agreement to solidify their Gateway international partnership, with additional agreements set to be signed in the coming months. Fuller was fundamental in ensuring the agreement was signed without a hitch.
Let’s get to know more about him, below!
What is your role in the Gateway program?
I am the international partner manager for the Gateway program.
What are your primary responsibilities?
I have the pleasure of being the primary program interface with our Gateway international partners. It brings many varied responsibilities, including integrating the international aspects of Gateway to achieve success.
What are you excited to share about Gateway and what it will do for human exploration as part of the Artemis program?
Gateway is a wonderful evolution of the highly successful International Space Station (ISS) program, bringing us to the next phase of sustained human exploration by creating a springboard for cooperative and sustainable deep space exploration. It is humbling to see the global enthusiasm for our next steps in human exploration. I am honored and excited to be a part of this team. It is great to see many familiar faces from the ISS program, in addition to new talent.
How has your own personal background influenced your work on the Gateway program?
I had the pleasure of working on ISS since 1996, initially in the Mission Operations Directorate and then in the ISS Program Office. Working internationally with our partners is something I have been doing since very early in my career. Going to school at Embry-Riddle (Go Eagles!), I knew that space was my future, but I never imagined the international aspect … or that a year after graduation I would be standing in Red Square on a business trip to Moscow negotiating with our Russian partners on how we would accomplish mission planning for ISS. Working the many international aspects has led to great opportunities.
Being surrounded by such a high-performing group of people, what’s a great piece of advice you’ve learned?
I have learned a lot from our high-performing global group. It is true — the more you learn, the more you realize you have to learn. I would also pass along something that I learned early on, and particularly applies when integrating different entities, be it international or domestic with commercial industry or other NASA elements: That just because someone has a different way of doing things doesn’t make it wrong; there is more than one path to success. Be open and you will learn many new tools.
In line with JSC’s DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE, how do you see yourself fitting into the vision?
DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE is what we do in Gateway. We are a catalyst, enabling sustained exploration through many daring new approaches, soundly built on our previous experiences. And, of course, we do that by creating results that matter and uniting with our international partners. The signing of the memorandums of understanding (MOU) that we are concluding over the next month are commitments of not just NASA, but the U.S. government with our international partners to explore cislunar space as a partnership.
Now, more about you. Where did you grow up?
In the “Gateway of the West,” St. Louis, Missouri. Go Cardinals!
How long have you been at JSC?
24 years.
Describe yourself in five words.
Optimistic, energetic, dedicated, international, and forward-leaning.
Favorite thing(s) to do to unwind:
Family and most anything that involves outdoors, like fishing, hiking, camping, and skiing.
How has the pandemic shaped your working style?
A LOT less (OK, no) airplane travel. I think this has been the longest dry spell of not being on an airplane since 1996. Enjoying being at home more, but negotiations and integration benefit greatly when all can sit at the same table.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
On two different occasions I have had trips that have taken me around the world, literally. Once thanks to the Iceland volcano and then last year as we were negotiating the Gateway MOUs.
At Johnson, we are laser-focused on the next: going forward to our lunar neighbor to build outposts in uncharted territory while revolutionizing the strategies and technologies that will eventually open up the universe. The Gateway is a critical component of the Artemis program and embodies Johnson's DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE vision: We dare to expand frontiers. We unite with our partners to complete bold missions. We explore space to benefit humanity.
DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE
