ICM Space, represented by Sarah Fry, Ranulf Lucas and Jonathan Price, attended the first SPACE Conference to be organised on the Isle of Man by non-profit education academy SPACE. The Space: From Foray to Habitation conference featured three sessions, each addressing a broad set of issues relevant to the future of spaceflight. The 1.5 day conference was attended by delegates from the UK, Isle of Man, Russia, the USA and Europe, working in a variety of sectors including engineering, business, law and science.

Key conference organiser, Shen Ge, co-founder and CEO of SPACE, told us:

“We were very pleased with the great turnout and enthusiasm of the speakers and delegates and feel very enthusiastic about the future of space exploration. The post-conference event, hosted by Excalibur Almaz in Jurby, where four RRV capsules and two large Salyut-Class Spacecraft are stored for future commercial space transportation, was a perfect way to end Day 1.  We think the conference was a great start for an international multidisciplinary space organisation and we are already planning the second event, which is a SPACE Retreat in the Canary Islands.”

Sarah Fry, a founding member of ICM Space and recent attendee of the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, was not surprised the event had taken place on the Isle of Man. Sarah told us:

“The Isle of Man Government has been very proactive in encouraging the space sector for a number of years. Four of the world’s top 10 satellite companies have a presence in the Isle of Man and other professional services have developed as a result of this. ICM Space is a member of the Isle of Man Space Industry Group which is proactive in promoting the Island as a supportive and advantageous environment for space and satellite companies to do business.”

Key speaker at the conference, Tim Craine, of the Department of Economic Development, presented the point of view of the Isle of Man Government by explaining the history of this business sector and identified Chris Stott of ManSat as key to its inception. As the Isle of Man has gradually become one of the key players in space commerce, the future looks rosy. Tim Craine concluded his presentation by confirming the commitment of the Government to the protection and enhancement of the existing space cluster, encouraging further diversity and embracing new ideas and developments.