Boeing is a step closer to launching humans into space after placing its Starliner CST-100 capsule on top of a rocket, with a blast-off scheduled from Florida on May 6 (May 7, UAE time).
It will carry experienced Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station at 10.34pm Eastern (6.34am, UAE time) for a planned stay of up to two weeks.
If the mission is successful, it will help Boeing begin commercial operations and offer the US space agency a second "taxi" option to the orbiting laboratory, after SpaceX's Dragon capsule.
"The first CST-100 Starliner to fly astronauts rolled out of its factory early in the morning on Tuesday, April 16, with teammates and astronauts there to wish the spacecraft farewell," Boeing said in a statement.
"The spacecraft now sits atop an Atlas V rocket."
Boeing completed an uncrewed test flight in 2022 when a Starliner capsule docked at the ISS and returned to Earth successfully.
The launch came almost three years after a failed test flight in 2019 that foiled the spacecraft's ability to reach the station due to a software glitch.
The company is part of Nasa's Commercial Crew Programme (CCP), which means it was contracted to safely send and bring back astronauts for the space agency.
Nasa had to rely on Russia's Soyuz capsule from 2011 to 2020, after it shut down its Space Shuttle programme, so it launched the CCP to partner with American companies that can help send astronauts from US soil once again.
An evolving space race
Boeing has been trying to develop a commercial capsule for about a decade, with a launch that has been plagued with delays owing to technical problems.
Meanwhile, SpaceX started operating flights under the CCP in 2020, with a mission called Nasa/SpaceX Crew-1.
Since then, the company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has carried out seven more flights for Nasa, with several international astronauts who have also taken part in missions.
UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, and now the Minister of Youth, flew on the SpaceX Crew-6 flight last year, helping him to become the first Arab to go on an extended mission and to perform a spacewalk.
Even though Boeing is a few years behind SpaceX, a second ride to the space station would still be welcomed by Nasa, as it would increase access to the laboratory.
It would also reduce its dependency on a single spacecraft for missions, which would help in case one is grounded for technical reasons.
Starting commercial operations would also allow Boeing to carry out private missions to the space station.
Axiom Space, a Houston-based space infrastructure company, has been helping arrange trips to the station by selling seats on private missions.
Two Saudi astronauts, for example, launched on a private mission to the ISS aboard a SpaceX rocket last year after the Saudi Space Agency struck a deal with Axiom. Boeing could carry out similar deals.
Boeing's space ambitions - in pictures
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Results
4pm: Maiden (Dirt) Dh165,000 1,600m
Winner: Moshaher, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Handicap (D) Dh165,000 2,200m
Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Maiden (Turf) Dh165,000 1,600m
Winner: Rua Augusta, Harry Bentley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
5.45pm: Handicap (D) Dh190,000 1,200m
Winner: Private’s Cove, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav.
6.20pm: Handicap (T) Dh190,000 1,600m
Winner: Azmaam, Jim Crowley, Musabah Al Muhairi.
6.55pm: Handicap (D) Dh190,000 1,400m
Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.30pm: Handicap (T) Dh190,000 2,000m
Winner: Rio Tigre, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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