Elon Musk’s Mars rocket Starship may perform its first orbital flight this year after passing a key environmental review from a US regulator.
The Federal Aviation Authority will allow SpaceX to carry out orbital flights from a Texas launch site, but only after the company meets more than 75 requirements related to too many road closures and effects on wildlife and plants.
Mr Musk said a launch could take place as soon as July from the Boca Chica launch site, called Starbase.
However, the company will first have to meet the requirements to obtain a launch licence from the authority.
Prepared for lift-off
“Starship will be ready to fly next month. I was in the high bay and mega bay late last night reviewing progress,” Mr Musk wrote on Twitter.
“We will have a second Starship stack ready to fly in August and then monthly thereafter.”
The 120-metre-tall Starship is a fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle that is being built to carry crew and cargo to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
It is set to be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, producing 3,991 tonnes of thrust, 15 per cent more than Nasa’s Apollo Moon rocket Saturn V.
In May last year, a Starship prototype completed a high-altitude test, including a successful take-off and touchdown for the first time.
The Tesla chief executive is working towards sending a million people to Mars by 2050 using his Starship fleets. He hopes to send the first uncrewed cargo flight to the planet within this decade.
The Starship would enter Mars’s atmosphere at 7.5 kilometres per second. The vehicle’s heat shield would be designed to withstand multiple entries.
Doubts over Mars ambitions
Many scientists, however, have criticised the billionaire’s plans, saying that the planet is totally inhospitable.
“Mars is a very hostile environment,” British astrophysicist Martin Rees said last year, at the virtual World Government Summit hosted by Dubai.
Mr Musk has already sold tickets on the Starship to two billionaires.
American Jared Isaacman has purchased a seat on the first crewed flight.
And Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa has bought tickets for the first crewed flight to the Moon.
The fly-by flight is planned to be a week long and to include eight other passengers, whose tickets will be sponsored by Mr Maezawa.
SpaceX crew sport new astronaut suits: in pictures
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowdash%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESean%20Trevaskis%20and%20Enver%20Sorkun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERestaurant%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20Judah%20VC%2C%20TPN%20Investments%20and%20angel%20investors%2C%20including%20former%20Talabat%20chief%20executive%20Abdulhamid%20Alomar%2C%20and%20entrepreneur%20Zeid%20Husban%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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