The first manned space journey of our country in the past weeks has left its mark on the social media agenda. ISS (International Space Station) and Alper Gezeravcı were discussed for days. Tuva Cihangir Atasever, our second astronaut, is getting ready to launch in April.
Space has always been on the agenda of mankind. The competition between the 'superpowers' following the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 after World War II has spread all over the world today.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, global spending on space programs increased by 10.7 percent to $92 billion in 2021 compared to the previous year. The US, which spent $54.6 billion on space exploration last year, remains the world's largest space investor.
Space research in Turkey started in the 1960s. Intensifying its efforts in the field of space technologies, Turkey has 9 active and passive satellites, 4 of which are communication (Türksat 3A, Türksat 4A, Türksat 4B, Türksat 5A, Türksat 5B, Türksat 6A) and 3 observation (Göktürk-1, Göktürk-2 and RASAT). With IMECE, this number increased to 10. Due to decreasing costs ( according to my research, I learned that it costs less than a movie), more and more countries are turning to space technologies, new internet applications, scientific studies, military use and needs in other areas of communication, the number of satellites is increasing.
Turkey launched its first manned space mission with its first astronaut participating in Axiom-3. The budget allocated for this was debated in the press for a long time. However, this is not our topic today.
Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station, is an opportunity for nations around the world to join the space community and advance exploration and research in microgravity. During the mission, the crew represents their nation in low Earth orbit (LEO), conducting scientific experiments of national significance and promoting them through online demonstrations. The experiments performed by the astronauts on this mission are available on the AXIOM page.
During the experiments conducted by our astronaut, the effects of microgravity and other conditions in space on human health, physiology and the immune system were researched. The experiments, carried out jointly with the biology, medicine, genetics, physics and material science laboratories of many universities, shed light on what can be done in space in the future when the earth's resources are not enough. The experiences gained over millennia in the 4.5 billion-year-old old world, such as oxygen production, mobility, solidification and liquefaction tests, gene tests and disease treatments, are being tested anew under very different conditions, in zero gravity and oxygen-free environments. For example, Alper Gezeravcı conducted experiments called EXTRAMOPHYTE with a plant that grows endemically in Salt Lake. You can find details of all the experiments carried out by Gezeravcı during this mission here.
During the Ax-3 mission, astronauts conducted 30 different experiments. Space is full of unknowns, and since it is not known how living things and elements on Earth will behave in space, experiments are carried out starting from the simplest and most straightforward, each time adding a new learning experience to see the next stage. Technology has reached the level it is today through years of research and findings from very simple - even ridiculed on social media - experiments. Scenes similar to the intergalactic journeys that used to be depicted in movies have begun. Space exploration at the state level is now a field where private companies such as Space X and Blue Origin are also heavily investing.
The view of our planet from the Cosmos, protected by a thin atmosphere, is an amazing experience called the 'Overview Effect'. Astronauts return from space changed, with a renewed perspective on humanity that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Most space travelers describe a fundamental cognitive shift. I consider this journey important in terms of a great transfer of know-how, attracting the interest of our young people in space technologies, training human resources in this field and contributing to our becoming a technology producing country. The astronauts, who were selected among many candidates and represented our country, set an example and inspiration for young people, and children dreamed of space. They have undertaken a brand new and very important mission to share their ISS and space experiences with young people and children by traveling all over the country and raising awareness.
Let's talk about insurance. While the world is investing so much in space, there are many risks associated with satellites and spacecraft that are designed, built, launched and used during missions. The insurance sector has developed niche solutions in this regard, supporting governments and private initiatives with insurance solutions rich in content.
Space insurance is a complex and volatile market. It is intended to fully cover the risks that spacecraft may be exposed to throughout their lifecycle, from launch to in-orbit operations. Outer space activities mean a high and even catastrophic risk environment. Therefore, effective insurance solutions are vital for the development of profitable economic activities in space.
Check out what's included:
Launch coverage for spacecraft and launch vehicles from launch to spacecraft separation in orbit
Initial operations, deployments, Post-separation coverage for spacecraft through orbital upgrades and testing
In-orbit coverage for the ongoing operations of satellites throughout their lifetime
Transponder (in telecommunications, a device that can communicate with another device (transmitter- coverage for users of various devices (responder), including loss of income and extra costs
coverage for loss of incentives and warranty payments for satellite manufacturers
coverage for launch risk guarantees
special coverage for small satellites and special missions
pre-launch and launch coverage - launch and in-orbit liability coverage
Compared to other sectors, risk in the space industry grows in a confined space and volatility remains significant due to high failure rates. Technical failure can take even the best projects off the shelf; long lead times to procure replacement hardware and bring the project back online can lead to unexpected losses that are difficult to recover from and expensive to finance. The financial impact of risk is huge; insurance is often the third largest cost of a space project after the cost of satellites and rockets.
Satellites and spacecraft are expensive, of course. But what about astronauts? Astronauts are recruited from among thousands of people who apply for the mission. They undergo months of training. Then they head off into space. As you will probably agree, this is not the kind of trip that you can say “have a nice trip”. Astronauts undergo many health and endurance tests and face great danger to their lives.
Life insurance for astronauts is based on the Apollo experience. Coverage began with Apollo 11 and ended with Apollo 16. The story is quite interesting: At the time, astronauts had limited access to life insurance, and many insurance companies offered free insurance for advertising purposes, but these offers were rejected. NASA was also legally unable to provide insurance. To overcome this impasse, they had the astronauts sign hundreds of envelopes before they went into space, with the idea that it would be very valuable in case they did not return and could be sold for the benefit of their families. This assurance system ended with the 1972 scandal of the Apollo 15 mission in which astronauts took 400 envelopes signed for a stamp collector to the moon for a fee.
The problem of astronauts' life insurance has not gone away with signed mailing envelopes. Although insurance is still not taken out, it has become an unwritten agreement that NASA will compensate families if their loved ones do not return from a mission. When the STS-51L Challenger space shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch in January 1986, only one of the seven astronauts on board had actual life insurance, and the family received the money. Although the crew had waived NASA's liability in the event of an accident prior to launch, the families of the astronauts received compensation of US$7.7 million and the relatives of the astronauts received compensation of about US$2 million each.
When Space Shuttle STS-107 Columbia crashed on its return to Earth in February 2001, two of the crew members were not insured, even though they had requested it from NASA; since none of them were insured, no formal insurance claim could be made for the seven astronauts on board. NASA paid a total of USD 26.6 million in compensation to the families of the astronauts, and USD 250,000 each to the families of the military crew members in the form of standard death in service compensation and USD 500,000 to third party beneficiaries.
Getting back to the topic: In the past, astronauts have taken out their own insurance, usually organized by their space agency and typically worth US$2-3 million. However, most professional astronauts normally travel to infinity and beyond without insurance coverage. Unfortunately, I could not find any information on the life insurance coverage of our astronauts.
So what will the situation be like in the future, especially when space tourism really takes off? Given that orbital space tourism will continue, it seems that there will now be a need for some pretty well-designed space tourism insurance.
Currently a rather niche market, space insurance is taking on a whole new dimension with the intensification of economic activities in space. It may be a bit extreme, but while such developments are taking place in the world and Turkey is now a part of it, it would be a pity if our insurance sector does not get a share from this. Our country has been investing heavily in the aviation industry for many years; unfortunately, they still have to go to foreign markets for coverage for their main risks. The sector is so busy with issues such as traffic, motor insurance, legislation and taking measures to cover its costs with the concern of profit and market share that creative solutions and investments for the future take a back seat. You will say, “Oooo, there is still a long way to go until we get to space,” you may not be wrong today, but given the pace of technological progress in the world, the days are not far away until we find ourselves making personal accident seat insurance for the space shuttle. What do you think?
May the Force be with us.
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