A Moon lander developed by a US company has sent photos with a striking backdrop of Earth, days before it attempts to land on the lunar surface.
The Odysseus landing vehicle, built by Intuitive Machines for its IM-1 mission, was launched on Thursday aboard a SpaceX rocket from a Florida spaceport and is expected to attempt touchdown on Thursday.
If successful, it would become the first private mission to land on the surface, after previous failures by an American, an Israeli and a Japanese company.
It would also be the first US Moon landing since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
"Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth," the company posted on X, formerly Twitter, along with the photos.
"The images were captured shortly after separation from SpaceX's second stage on Intuitive Machines’ first journey to the Moon under Nasa's CLPS [commercial lunar payload services] initiative."
The company was contracted by Nasa to send six of its payloads to the Moon, featuring technology that tests weather in space and lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy and precision landing.
CLPS is helping to create easier access to the Moon by contracting companies, similar to how Nasa hires SpaceX to carry astronauts to the International Space Station.
A mission by another American company, Astrobotic, failed in an attempt to land on the Moon this year.
Its Peregrine lander suffered a fuel leak shortly after separating from its launch rocket.
The Odysseus will attempt a landing near a crater in the Moon's southern pole.
India last year became the first nation to land on an uncharted part of the lunar surface, its Vikram lander touching down near the Moon's southern pole in August.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
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