History was made on November 2, 2000, when two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut became the first live-in guests on board the International Space Station.
Since that remarkable maiden journey, the vast floating facility has welcomed no fewer than 241 space travellers from 19 countries – including the UAE.
As with any major milestone, the 20-year anniversary has prompted space experts to look to the future of the iconic space station as well as honour its trail-blazing past.
There is plenty of discussion about when the ISS, a joint project of space agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the US, will eventually be retired.
Commercial space travel on the rise
Today the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) scene, of which the ISS is part, is increasingly commercial, with multiple private enterprises involved, and it is they, rather than national space agencies, that may replace the $150bn (Dh550.95bn) facility.
The commercial sector’s growing input to ISS has been demonstrated most dramatically this year by Elon Musk’s SpaceX aerospace organisation, which took two Nasa astronauts up to the facility at the end of May using a Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket.
At the time, Nasa noted that it was the first time its astronauts had been taken up to the space station from American soil by a commercially built spacecraft.
Another commercial transportation programme is being developed by Boeing, which has a long history of involvement in the ISS, having been selected by Nasa as its main contractor for the facility back in 1993.
Boeing’s attempt in December to send its Starliner spacecraft up to the ISS went awry when a timing issue prevented a planned docking of the uncrewed vehicle, but another attempt is scheduled for January.
Before then, in mid-November, SpaceX is set to take three American and one Japanese astronaut to the ISS on its second crewed mission to the facility.
Their arrival will expand to seven the number of people at the ISS, which currently plays host to two Russian cosmonauts, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and one American astronaut, Kathleen Rubins. They have been there since mid-October and are due to return to Earth in April 2021.
Life on space station offers unique challenges
Speaking from the ISS during a recent question-and-answer session to mark the 20th anniversary, Dr Rubins said the toughest activities they had to undertake were space walks or extravehicular activity (EVA), two of which she completed during her first ISS mission, in 2016.
“This is probably the foremost mental and physical challenge we have as astronauts – to be outside in the vacuum of space in a 400-pound space suit moving that mass around with very, very expensive equipment,” she said.
“That being said, it’s also one of the most fun things we do, so we’re looking forward to many space walks, many EVAs ... It’s going to be a great expedition.”
Lt Col Ryzhikov, the mission commander, and Mr Kud-Sverchkov are set to carry out a space walk in mid-November, according to reports.
As well as space walks and routine maintenance, ISS residents have over the years undertaken nearly 3,000 experiments analysing things such as how the human body functions in space.
Nasa to sell off ISS stake?
Analysts say Nasa is keen to ultimately hand over its portion of the ISS to the private sector so that the billions of dollars a year it spends on the ISS could go to other programmes, notably those involving the moon.
Dr Rubins, a microbiologist, compared the facility to a scaled down university campus with cutting-edge equipment including DNA sequencers and sophisticated microscopes.
“We’re going to continue some of the work on growing cells – we’re going to be growing heart cells,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to a lot of the microbial experiments. I’m looking forward to looking at the station’s microbiome [complement of microorganisms].
“I’m interested in learning who’s here in terms of the microbial populations. Who’s here and who’s changing over time.”
The ISS is not just focused on biological experiments, as it also has specialist equipment for research in fields such as physics or materials science.
When he spent eight days on board the facility after arriving on a Soyuz rocket in September last year, the UAE’s first astronaut, Major Hazza Al Mansouri, undertook a series of experiments, including some with a robotic camera aimed at offering insights into how the orientation of spacecraft can be controlled.
After Maj Al Mansouri’s trip, the UAE recorded another key milestone in its space programme in July this year, when the country’s Mars Mission, Hope, which is spearheaded by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, blasted off from Japan. It is scheduled to reach the Red Planet in early 2021.
One experiment due to happen on the ISS in the coming months is the growing of radishes, work NASA says could optimise methods to cultivate the vegetable in space.
Could space station be a tourist attraction?
In the years to come, Nasa is opening up the ISS to visits by tourists – with transport there and back on commercial craft costing tens of millions of dollars – and, in January, it gave approval for a private space company, Axiom, to attach a commercial module to the ISS.
Axiom, which is run by a former Nasa ISS programme manager, ultimately hopes to attach several modules to the ISS, the first of which could be launched in 2024 and allow for new experimental facilities and living space.
The company has said work on the ISS could move over to the commercial modules when decommissioning finally happens.
Once it is retired, the ISS would probably be crashed into a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, joining the remains of Russia’s Mir space station, which burned up before reaching its watery grave.
The ISS’s retirement is, however, not imminent: it is scheduled to remain in operation until at least 2024 and much of its hardware is certified for use until several years after that.
Speaking at the recent press conference, Lt Col Ryzhikov acknowledged there is currently a leak in the ISS that needs fixing, but said the overall structure was sound. Boeing too said earlier this year the ISS was in good shape.
“It has very reliable construction,” said the Russian cosmonaut, who is his second ISS mission. “It has various small leaks every day. Now it’s a little bit more than standard. We’re working to find it and replace it. So don’t worry.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Under 19 World Cup
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Read more about the coronavirus
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
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RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
