As Abu Dhabi becomes the latest aspirant to unveil plans for a spaceport, it is worth remembering that the number of countries that have announced plans for commercial launch sites exceeds the number of space tourists who have taken off from private spaceports.
But that is deterring few from entering this new space race.
"We need to make space accessible just like we conquered the air one century ago," says Abdul Nasser El Hakim, the minister of economic development for the Caribbean island nation of Curaçao, which hopes to have a spaceport by 2014.
Yet the task of launching a spacecraft remains a Herculean feat - and building a financially successful launchpad may be harder still.
When mankind first ventured into space, the pioneering flights could lift off from only a few sites - all government-funded because of the huge costs involved.
These include Cape Canaveral in Florida, the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, and the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet missile range that became the launch site of Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the Earth.
So far, space tourists have had to use existing rocket launchpads as they hitch rides to the International Space Station.
But as the private-sector space industry seeks to reduce its costs, the need for spaceports has grown.
Launch sites announced include locations in the US state of New Mexico, Curaçao, Scotland, Sweden, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, the new entrant announced by Virgin Galactic last week.
Is the large number of countries seeking spaceports a signal that the barriers to entry are falling?
Not by a long shot, says Andrew Nelson, the chief operating officer of XCOR Aerospace, a commercial space company based in California. "In theory, if you can get yourself a space plane and implement a new legal system, and find the right airport length, and air traffic management, and someone willing to take the risk with the capital - then no, there's no barriers to entry," he says.
Curaçao believes its picture-perfect shores and its position near the equator - the optimum location for launching rockets into space - give it an advantage over locales such as New Mexico. Thus far, it has been attracting interest from the United States, Latin America and Europe.
But even the perfect launch location is not an ironclad guarantee of success.
Sea Launch is one example of how a spaceport's safety record can make or break its financial success.
The mobile launch platform, a converted drilling rig in the Pacific Ocean, was founded by a consortium of Russian, Norwegian, Ukranian and American investors - including the aircraft maker Boeing. Its ability to be repositioned allowed it to be placed in the best position to launch satellites, allowing it to launch 29 rockets successfully since 1999.
But the failure in 2007 of a Dutch satellite launch, which turned the launchpad into a fireball, significantly harmed the company's financial viability, according to court filings. After the global financial crisis struck, a liquidity crisis left Sea Launch unable to reimburse investors for cost overruns linked to the blast.
Even though launches continued, the operating company sought US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors in 2009. The company re-emerged under Russian ownership a year later.
The industry believes that it can crack the safety problem - and reduce costs - with the ability to reuse space planes after launch.
Building a rocket for every launch is hugely expensive.
But reusing a space plane eliminates much of that cost and also allows engineers to tweak designs - and potentially mass-produce the vehicles.
"If you want to be serious about access to space, you have to reuse the rockets," says Christopher Bauer, a vice president at SpaceX.
The space-flight company, established by Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of PayPal, is currently sending a mission to the International Space Station.
"We want to be able to build rockets like people have automobiles," says Mr Bauer.
ghunter@thenational.ae
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Easter%20Sunday
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
