Nasa is considering bringing back two astronauts on a SpaceX capsule after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they arrived on at the International Space Station suffered technical issues.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the orbiting laboratory on June 6 on a test flight, but the craft experienced several problems since launching, including thruster problems and helium leaks.
Their trip was initially meant to last only about a week, with a return date still not decided by Nasa and Boeing, as it remains unclear whether the Starliner would be safe enough to bring the astronauts home.
We have set up the Dragon for Crew-9 to only two passengers and then we could return four crew members in February 2025
Steve Stich,
Nasa
During an online media briefing on Wednesday, Nasa officials said they had several contingency plans in place.
One of them includes launching two instead of four astronauts on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission in September, so the capsule will have enough space for the two Boeing Starliner astronauts on the journey back home in February 2025.
“We have been working with SpaceX to ensure that they're ready to respond on Crew-9 for a contingency of returning Butch and Suni if we need that,” said Steve Stich, commercial crew programme manager at Nasa.
“We have set up the Dragon for Crew-9 to have flexibility – to have only two passengers fly up on that flight and then we could return four crew members in February 2025.”
He said that Nasa has yet to approve this plan, but the requirements are in place in case a backup is needed.
The crew members would complete about eight months aboard the space station if Nasa proceeds with the plan – longer than the typical six-month missions that its astronauts spend in space.
Meanwhile, the Starliner would be brought back to Earth uncrewed.
Boeing had launched the Starliner capsule to show that it could safely launch and bring back humans.
It has a $4.2 billion contract by Nasa under its Commercial Crew Programme to deliver its astronauts to and from the space station and has been developing the craft for a decade.
But it has been plagued with delays and technical issues, with the latest developments making it unclear when the company could begin commercial operations.
Nasa is hoping to secure multiple “taxi” options to the station so that it does not have to rely only on one rocket.
Boeing's rival SpaceX is dominating this business so far, having launched eight crews for Nasa since 2021 and private missions for Axiom Space.
The Starliner launch was meant to help Boeing rebuild its reputation, which was damaged by two crashes involving 737 Max 8 jets and a mid-flight door panel blowout on a 737 Max 9 jet earlier this year.
Specs
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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Specs
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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THE SPECS
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Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
