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American Space Agency NASA will be looking at increased insurance premiums after losing its no claims discount following a collision into an asteroid this week.
NASA’s Dart spacecraft collided with asteroid Dimorphos 6.8m miles from Earth, sending eagle-eyed insurers scurrying for their calculators.
An insurance company executive told us, “Insuring space missions is already difficult enough, but if NASA is just going to go around crashing into things like a 17-year-old in an old Ford Fiesta, then we’ll have no choice but raise premiums.
“I don’t even think you can argue they were flying safely at the time of the collision, as reports indicate their speed was in excess of 14,000 miles per hour. That’s just too fast. There is no way you can safely avoid an asteroid that steps out in front of you when you’re travelling at that speed.
“Remember, at 10,000 mph there’s an 80% chance you’ll avoid interplanetary objects. At 14,000 mph there’s an 80% you’ll obliterate yourself in the side of one.
“On the plus side, my sales commissions for 2023 are going to be massive.”
