US billionaire Jared Isaacman, who led the all-civilian Inspiration4 trip to space last year, has unveiled a programme of new private missions with SpaceX, including the first crewed flight of its Starship rocket.
Mr Isaacman, the founder and chief executive of payments-processing firm Shift4 Payments, revealed the details of the Polaris Program — named after the north star and paying homage to the great space programmes of the 1950s and 1960s — which he said was intended as “an important step in advancing human space exploration while helping to solve problems through the use of innovative technology here on Earth”.
The first of three planned flights, named Polaris Dawn, is scheduled to take off before the end of 2022, with the aim of reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown using a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
A second flight would also use the Dragon capsule — the same spacecraft that Nasa uses to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and back — and a third flight would be the first to make use of the Starship rocket that SpaceX is developing.
Mr Isaacman, 39, is named among the crew of four slated to ride into space on the first flight.
“We’re going to go farther into space than humans have gone since we last walked on the Moon,” he told US broadcaster NBC.
As well as flying further than any other mission since the last Moon landings in 1972, the Polaris Dawn crew hope to carry out the commercial space sector’s first ever spacewalk, and test a new laser-based communication system for SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
“Alongside these important objectives, we will be supporting scientific research to advance both human health interests on Earth and our understanding of human health during future long-duration space flights,” Mr Isaacman said.
Joining Mr Isaacman on the programme’s first flight will be former US Air Force officer and Shift4 executive Scott Poteet, as well as two SpaceX employees who help run the company’s astronaut training programme, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
The cost of the flights hasn't been disclosed by either Mr Isaacman or SpaceX, but is expected to run to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The programme will continue to raise money for St. Jude Children’s research hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Mr Isaacman led the first all-civilian trip to space in September 2021, blasting off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The Inspiration4 mission ultimately raised more than $243 million for St. Jude hospital, including a $125 million donation from Mr Isaacman and his wife, as well as $55 million donated by SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m
Results
5.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Al Battar, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer).
6.05pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Good Fighter, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
6.40pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
7.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Immortalised, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
7.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Franz Kafka, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
8.25pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Mayadeen, Connor Beasley, Doug Watson.
9pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Chiefdom, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Price: From Dh650,000
