On Wednesday, SpaceX engineers prepared to launch a prototype Starship rocket for the first time since a test flight ended in a spectacular explosion last month.
Called SN10, the experimental vehicle will attempt a high-altitude flight test, climbing 10km into the sky before carrying out a controlled landing near the launch pad.
There is a live stream hosted by Nasa Spaceflight.
The Starship project is being followed closely by scientists and enthusiasts, many of whom believe it will one day carry human beings to the Moon and Mars.
The flight at the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas, was delayed after the state was battered by a winter storm that left millions without power and SpaceX relying on back-up solar power during test preparations.
Powered by three of the company's innovative Raptor engines, the SN10 is helping to pave the way for what SpaceX said will be the most powerful space launch vehicle yet developed.
The final Starship will comprise a super-heavy booster topped with the Starship section itself, standing more than 120 metres tall and capable of lifting more than 100 tonnes of cargo into low Earth orbit.
The vehicle's unconventional design, which uses stainless steel instead of the expensive titanium alloys and advanced composite materials more commonly associated with space flight, is intended to make the vehicle much more affordable and further reduce the cost of transporting objects and people into space.
The controlled descent during the test on Wednesday, using the Starship's large fins for stability, will help engineers make the final spacecraft fully reusable.
The vehicle's shape, in particular its large surface area, is intended to prepare it for touching down on the Martian surface with a human crew.
The spacecraft is expected to carry the first civilian passengers on a lunar mission in 2023.
The dearMoon mission seeks eight civilians to join Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa for a week-long space adventure, including a fly-by of the Moon.
Engineers are already working on the next Starship prototypes, and keen-eyed SpaceX watchers have spotted SN11 and SN15 in a nearby facility.
The first prototypes of the Starship's booster stage are also reported to be taking shape.
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
The%20specs
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'Cheb%20Khaled'
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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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
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Company%20Profile
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
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