SpaceX is set to make history again when the world's second all-civilian space mission takes off on August 26 from a Florida spaceport.
Commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, the Polaris Dawn mission will push the boundaries of private space travel with the first civilian spacewalk.
US Air Force Lt Col Scott Poteet and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon will also be on board when the spacecraft takes off on a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule.
Mr Isaacman, chief executive of payment-processing company Shift4, is organising the trip with SpaceX through his self-funded Polaris Programme.
It involves two other missions, the last being the first human space flight on SpaceX's deep-space rocket Starship.
In 2021, Mr Isaacman funded Inspiration4, the world's first private space flight, in which he and three others flew around the Earth for three days.
The flight helped him prepare for more daring missions under the Polaris Programme, with this month's set to achieve several milestones in space travel.
Reaching new heights
The mission will involve the Dragon capsule flying about 700km above Earth – taking the crew further than any humans since the Apollo era, which ended in 1972.
This altitude would surpass previous SpaceX missions and offer an opportunity to study the effects of space travel at such heights.
It will demonstrate Dragon’s capabilities and it is hoped crucial data can be gathered for future missions involving deeper space exploration, including potential lunar missions.
First private spacewalk
Mr Isaacman and Ms Gillis are expected to walk in space for about two hours, entering the history books as the first civilians to achieve the feat.
SpaceX has developed a new spacesuit for the walk, designed to improve flexibility and mobility.
It includes a high-tech helmet and enhanced thermal management systems to maintain astronauts' comfort in space.
Testing Starlink in space
The mission will also test SpaceX’s Starlink communications system in space for the first time.
Currently, the Starlink fleet is used to provide high-speed internet access to remote and underserved areas worldwide.
It is hoped the test during the Polaris Dawn mission will demonstrate how well the laser connection is between Starlink satellites and the Dragon capsule.
It could enhance data transmission speeds and reliability, and is crucial for maintaining high-speed communication networks in space.
These are vital for the success of future long-duration missions.
Looking ahead
Polaris Dawn has been delayed several times – most recently the planned launch on July 31 – due to scheduling conflicts and the complexity of the mission.
SpaceX plans to launch Polaris II in 2025-26.
The third Polaris mission is scheduled to features the first crewed flight of the SpaceX Starship but the timetable is uncertain, as the rocket has yet to start commercial operations.
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Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
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1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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Comment on Coronavirus
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
