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THE Isle of Man provides a good framework to support the commercialisation of space.
This is the theme of a report by Timi Aganaba, a graduate student from the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, France.
She's just finished a three-month secondment in the Space and Satellite division of Island law firm Cains.
'The very first thing I noticed when I arrived in late May is that the people here are really helpful and open,' said Timi. 'I've done research in other space jurisdictions and the Isle of Man surpasses them all in terms of accessibility.'
She focused her summer on conducting a jurisdictional analysis of the 'Space Isle', spending hundreds of hours interviewing professionals involved in the space industry, mainly centred on the Island's Space Industry Group (SIG).
Since its inception in April 2006, the SIG has played a key role in establishing the Island's reputation as a premier, offshore commercial space jurisdiction.
The informal group which officially meets three times a year is comprised of representatives from both government and private sectors.
Many SIG members were generous with their time to support Timi's research. She then analysed her findings in line with data on competitor nations and found the Isle of Man to be streets ahead in terms of policy and proactivity.
'The Isle of Man government has a clear strategy for space and they put significant effort behind communicating their value proposition to the global space industry,' said Timi. 'This is the Island's key differentiator in an increasingly competitive market.'
Timi first heard of the Isle of Man while studying for her Masters at the International Space University. In fact, there is an Isle of Man Space Commerce Room at the ISU. Tresury Minister Alex Downie, who is responsible for the development of the space industry, dedicated the room in a ceremony last year and since then it's been used to host important keynote address by world and industry leaders including India's President Kalam.
In addition, the Isle of Man Government and the ISU announced last year that they are to establish and host the International Institute for Space Commerce (IISC) here on the Island. ISU trustee members decided on the Isle of Man after they were impressed by the commitment to space and innovation in the Island when attending a meeting of the Board of Trustees held here in 2006. The IISC will focus on the business of space, policy and regulatory issues.
For Timi, it was an early assignment on space policy for emerging nations where she first looked at the Isle of Man as a space jurisdiction. Then she attended a lecture by ManSat Chairman Chris Stott who gave an address about marketing and influence within the industry.
'Chris's lecture really opened my eyes to the importance of relationships in building a credible space industry,' said Timi. 'His lecture focused on how the Isle of Man's space industry began by building consensus on the island and then taking a solid space business proposition into the global market.'
She later heard Chris being interviewed on the Space Show, an industry radio programme that explores issues surrounding the commercialisation of space.
'I thought he gave an excellent interview which explained the the Isle of Man's approach...to find a workable solution to every challenge. I started to correspond with him and he was very supportive of my research.'
So when it came to choosing a place to spend her summer secondment, it was easy. Timi arrived in the Isle of Man for the first time during TT 2008 to find a fun and welcoming atmosphere. Since then she's enjoyed many of the outdoor pursuits on offer here including coasteering (a kind of rock climbing), kayaking and country walks. She's back in Strasbourg now for the graduation ceremony in which she'll be awarded her Masters of Science degree. Then she's staying on in the role of teaching associate as she continues her research for her PhD and her learning from the Isle of Man will form the basis of her continued studies.
In addition Timi will present a paper on her Isle of Man research findings at the upcoming International Astronomical Society Congress to be held in Glasgow later this year.
>>Sherrilynne Starkie is the managing partner of Strive Public Relations, a strategic communications consultancy serving the Isle of Man. Visit her business blog, Strive Notes for frequent updates www.strivepr.com/notes or follow her on twitter.com/sherrilynne
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Weather for Isle of Man
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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