Page 35 - The Insurance Times June 2020
P. 35

INTERVIEW


                                                                   “Our world is permanently

                                                                          subject to difficult
                                                                 challenges…there are multiple

                                                                 benefits for the people to have
                                                                    ‘positive visions’… Space

                                                                 projects are exceptional, in this
                                                                               respect…”


                                                                           Pierre-Eric Lys




                                                              Praveen Gupta (PG): Does the successful SpaceX
                                                              mission to the International Space Station (ISS)
                                                              by the USA gets it ahead of Russia, in the manned
                                                              launch capability?
                                                              Pierre  Lys (PL): To answer this question, you would have to
                                                              look back into the entire history of manned spaceflights. It
         Pierre-Eric Lys is both a space and telecom scientist who
                                                              all started back in the days of cold war between USA and
         successfully dabbled in space insurance for many years. He
                                                              Soviet Union. Both parties have had their own path – with
         started as the Director of Space Risks at Allianz.
                                                              USA flying to the moon in the late 60’s and Russia flying long
         Subsequently founded Paris based Spaceco, later moving it
                                                              duration spaceflights using their Mir station in the late 80’s.
         across to Dubai – where he founded another successful  As of today, the longest duration flight record is still held by
         space insurance venture Elesco. It eventually became a  cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who spent 438 consecutive days
         world leader. An ace competitive sailor, Pierre is also a  onboard Mir in 1994-1995. China later joined the club in
         helicopter pilot. During the last five years he is involved in  2011. The ISS was then put together as a joint effort
         aeronautical research on solar power stratospheric UAVs and  between Russia and Western countries, at the end of the
         other humanitarian projects. Pierre is a keen observer of  90’s.
         anything and everything to do with space. In this
                                                              Talking about the manned rated launch vehicles – USA
         conversation he highlights the race, rivalry, and
                                                              developed the Space Shuttle, which was operated between
         collaboration within the exclusive space club. He recalls the  1981 and 2011, now replaced by SpaceX Falcon 9. Russia
         magic of live launches from the launch pads and how they  has used the Soyuz rocket and its evolutions and has flown
         sent his adrenaline gushing. In his view space projects fuel  nearly 2000 times since 1966. Russia remains today the most
         ‘positive visions’ thereby helping cope with the challenges
         we face today. The International Space Station, he believes,  Russia remains today the most
         is the safest place to be in these times!
                                                              experienced country in launching and
           Interview of Mr Pierre-Eric Lys with Mr Praveen Gupta
           FCII, Chartered Insurer. Mr Gupta is the former MD and  flying humans into space. Their
           CEO of Raheja QBE. A recognised thought leader, Mr     technology is getting old but has
           Gupta currently pursues interests in Climate Change,
           Diversity, Tech and Governance. The interview has been  reached an unprecedented level of
           reproduced from his blog www.thediversityblog.com with                reliability
           his Permission.

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