Nasa could soon have a second “taxi ride” to the International Space Station for its astronauts when aerospace company Boeing starts commercial operations of its CST-100 Starliner capsule.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft have been dominating the market since 2020 by launching astronauts, including an Emirati and two Saudi astronauts, to the space station.
Boeing and SpaceX are part of Nasa's Commercial Crew Programme, in which the agency hires the services of private companies to send humans and cargo to and from the space station.
After several delays, Boeing is planning to launch a crewed test flight in May, with commercial operations expected to begin next year.
“The flight test, currently scheduled to launch in early May due to space station scheduling, will transport Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the orbiting laboratory for a planned stay of up to two weeks,” Nasa said on Friday.
Boeing has already completed an uncrewed test flight to the space station in 2022 when a Starliner capsule launched from Florida and docked at the ISS a day later.
The launch came almost three years after a failed test flight in 2019 that foiled the spacecraft's ability to reach the station due to a software glitch.
Starliner compared to SpaceX Dragon
The Starliner is also reusable like SpaceX's Dragon craft, but it has been designed to carry out a ground landing using airbags, as compared to the Dragon, which splashes down in the ocean.
Dragon has a more round, sleek appearance, while Starliner features the design of a traditional space capsule.
SpaceX designers added four windows to its spacecraft for astronauts while the Starliner has two.
Both capsules are equipped with modern interiors and touchscreen controls, but their seat layouts are different.
Dragon has a toilet on board, but it's not yet clear if Starliner has one too.
When is Starliner launching astronauts?
The first crewed mission is expected to take place in early May and will launch Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams to the space station as part of a test flight.
The test flight must take place before Boeing can start commercial operations to prove to Nasa that it can safely transport humans.
Boeing has been trying to develop a commercial capsule for about a decade, with a launch that has been plagued with delays owing to technical problems.
The astronauts it is carrying on the test flight are veterans of Nasa who have logged hundreds of days in space.
Mr Wilmore is a US Navy captain who spent a total of 178 days in space. He was selected as an astronaut in 2000.
Ms Williams, a retired Navy captain, has logged 322 days in space and has completed seven spacewalks totalling 50 hours and 40 minutes.
The Starliner will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket from the Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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