Space insurance brokers parse launch vehicle specifications, scrutinize satellite designs, and decode telemetry data to price risks that destroy $500 million assets in microseconds. Traditional underwriters lack the technical fluency to evaluate propulsion anomalies at geostationary transfer orbit or orbital debris collision probabilities. This engineering expertise has transformed brokers into indispensable risk translators for the space economy.
Technical Translators Between Engineering and Capital
Brokers recruit aerospace engineers, mission controllers, and orbital mechanics specialists to interrogate mission assumptions. They review failure mode analyses, qualification tests, redundancy architectures, and component heritage rather than accepting manufacturer claims.
Each mission presents prototype risks—software updates or payload changes introduce untested failure modes beyond actuarial capture. Brokers convert technical details into risk narratives that secure underwriter capacity. Their dual credibility shapes market appetite for high-stakes launches.
