The Seradata Space Conference remains the leading forum for space insurance underwriters and brokers to meet their clients – the satellite operators, and their related industries such as launch providers. Attendance at this year’s event (the conference takes place every two years) appeared to be slightly up despite slightly fewer ticket sales, compared to the last conference held in 2021, which was virtual.
Chaired by space underwriter Richard Parker of Canopius, this year’s conference had Vijay Thakur, Eutelsat’s Satellite Technical Authority begin proceedings with a keynote speech. He opened by asking: “Why do we do satellites? This is why we do satellites!”, pointing out Eutelsat’s application in mobile communications, disaster aid or for relief in conflict areas. Thakur explained how new technologies, such as software-defined payloads and beam-forming, will change the industry and why common ground antennas will need to accept both low Earth orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) signals in future.
Vijay Thakur lets the audience know what Eutelsat satellites do for them and for others. Courtesy: Seradata/Melissa Quinn
Attendees of the Seradata Space Conference this year were also treated to panel discussions that touched on different topical subjects including the growing concerns about launch availability, the role of insurance in a LEO dominated market, and the future of space as companies prepare to explore commercial space stations, lunar projects and in-orbit fuelling solutions.
A quiz pitting space sector broker against underwriters provided a little light relief during the day too. Hosted by David Todd of Seradata, with assistance from David Wade of Atrium, the format was akin to that of the popular British television quiz programme University Challenge and panellists were given bells and horns to sound if they knew the answer.
David Todd as question master with his assistant David Wade of Atrium wait for the answers from Pascal Lecointe (Underwriter team – left) or from Peter Elson (Broker team – right). Courtesy: Seradata/Derek Goddard
Richard Parker introduces the Underwriters’ team as Devin Fairbanks smiles. Courtesy: Seradata/Derek Goddard
Despite the brokers’ best efforts, the underwriters – whose team included Neil Fleming of Ascot Syndicate dubbed “Human Google” – made a convincing win. Special mentions must be made for underwriter Devin Fairbanks of Starr Aviation, who knew the answer to a question about a mooted Indian burial ground under Slick 6 (SLC-6) pad at Vandenberg and for Gallagher broker, and patrician wit, Peter Elson who nonchalantly rang his bell to get the last man on the Moon question right (Gene Cernan, by the way) and who jested that the quiz master did, at times, appear not to know his own answers. The Brokers vs Underwriters quiz was not the only one at the conference as Seradata set a list of brain teasers and riddles, dubbed “Serabellum”, for participants to solve. Izzie Maclean, from the reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter, took home a prize after getting every question right.
A stellar goodbye to Tim Fuller
Seradata and the Seradata Space Conference bid a goodbye to Tim Fuller who retires from his position as Managing Director of Seradata – though he will continue to provide his expertise as a consultant. He is handing over the reins of the Slingshot Aerospace-owned UK subsidiary to the former head of Spaceport Cornwall, Melissa Quinn. To send him off with our thanks, the conference gave him a gong – which also served as the official conference gong – an engraved tankard made out of the space material du jour: stainless steel, and a working Saturn V model rocket. After all, we had all just heard that there is a shortfall in available rocket launches at the moment.
