• Billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos embraces veteran aviator Wally Funk after Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard craft capsule returned from space on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
    Billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos embraces veteran aviator Wally Funk after Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard craft capsule returned from space on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
  • Jeff Bezos, Funk and and gap-year student Oliver Daemen, 18, disembark after Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard capsule returned from space.
    Jeff Bezos, Funk and and gap-year student Oliver Daemen, 18, disembark after Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard capsule returned from space.
  • Jeff Bezos disembarks after the flight.
    Jeff Bezos disembarks after the flight.
  • New Shepard touches down on Earth.
    New Shepard touches down on Earth.
  • New Shepard approaches the ground.
    New Shepard approaches the ground.
  • The capsule carrying Jeff Bezos and three crew members returns to Texas by parachute.
    The capsule carrying Jeff Bezos and three crew members returns to Texas by parachute.
  • The booster rocket returns to the launch pad.
    The booster rocket returns to the launch pad.
  • The rocket lifts off.
    The rocket lifts off.
  • The launch viewed from far.
    The launch viewed from far.
  • The rocket is launched on the world’s first unpiloted suborbital flight.
    The rocket is launched on the world’s first unpiloted suborbital flight.
  • It took off from Blue Origin’s launch site, near Van Horn in western Texas, US.
    It took off from Blue Origin’s launch site, near Van Horn in western Texas, US.
  • Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is launched from its spaceport.
    Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is launched from its spaceport.
  • The rocket lift-off.
    The rocket lift-off.
  • The launch pad. Blue Origin’s first crewed mission was an 11-minute flight from Texas and back. Reaching an altitude of 106 kilometres, it coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the first Moon landing.
    The launch pad. Blue Origin’s first crewed mission was an 11-minute flight from Texas and back. Reaching an altitude of 106 kilometres, it coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the first Moon landing.
  • People watch on a television screen as the rocket sits on the launch pad.
    People watch on a television screen as the rocket sits on the launch pad.
  • The crew members prepare for the flight.
    The crew members prepare for the flight.
  • The crew members prepare for the flight.
    The crew members prepare for the flight.
  • Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, rings a bell before boarding the flight.
    Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, rings a bell before boarding the flight.
  • This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows Funk, Daemen and the Bezos brothers before they leave for the flight.
    This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows Funk, Daemen and the Bezos brothers before they leave for the flight.
  • A monitor in a zone reserved for the media shows Wally Funk being interviewed.
    A monitor in a zone reserved for the media shows Wally Funk being interviewed.
  • This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows Funk, Jeff and Mark Bezos, and Daemen as they ascend the crew tower for the flight.
    This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows Funk, Jeff and Mark Bezos, and Daemen as they ascend the crew tower for the flight.
  • This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows, from left, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen as they travel to the launch pad.
    This still image taken from video by Blue Origin shows, from left, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen as they travel to the launch pad.
  • Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, a private equity executive, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen pose in an undated photograph.
    Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, a private equity executive, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen pose in an undated photograph.

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin has its eye on UAE desert for spaceport


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is looking at the UAE’s desert as a possible location for a spaceport for tourists.

The company has successfully sent eight people into space through its New Shepard suborbital flights — including Star Trek actor William Shatner, 90, who became the oldest person in space.

In an exclusive interview with The National, Brent Sherwood, senior vice president of advanced development programmes for Blue Origin, said the UAE was an “obvious choice” for a spaceport and that it was looking to expand its launch sites from the current one in El Paso, Texas.

“Now that we are operational for tourism, the next thing we are looking at is other locations around the planet to establish launch and landing sites for New Shepard,” he said.

A couple of nights ago I slept over in Sharjah and did some stargazing in the desert. It’s very promising to think about areas here
Brent Sherwood,
Blue Origin

“It’s an obvious place to look here. All we really need is some desert. One of the endearing qualities of the West Texas desert is that it is hard to get to the El Paso airport. You have to drive for a couple of hours and it is in the middle of nowhere.

“A couple of nights ago I slept over in Sharjah and did some stargazing in the desert. It was only 30 minutes away from Dubai, so I think it’s very promising to think about areas here.”

Mr Sherwood was speaking to The National on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre until October 29.

Booking space tourism trips from the UAE

AzurX is a private company in Dubai that is working as a strategic adviser to Blue Origin and will work as a bridge between the UAE and space tourism company.

Anna Hazlett, chief executive of AzurX, told The National that it would be helping Blue Origin with its localisation strategy in the UAE, and would assist customers with space tourism flights and opportunities on Orbital Reef — a new private space station Blue Origin announced on Monday.

“The AzurX team is proud to assist Blue Origin in exploring Orbital Reef and space tourism in the UAE,” she said.

“We look forward to developing this exciting program with Blue Origin and bringing opportunities to the UAE, Emirati visionaries, entrepreneurs, and businesses.”

Orbital Reef would be a “mixed-use business park” that would provide easier access to a diverse group of people ranging from tourists to media, science and finance.

Are tickets affordable?

Blue Origin has not revealed the price of a ticket on a New Shepard flight, but one was sold for $28 million during an auction.

Mr Sherwood said prices are expected to decrease once reusable orbital vehicles become more common.

“Costs are coming down already, let's say even in the pricing of New Shepard suborbital seats, where we're seeing that price curve,” he said.

“The first seat was result of an auction and that was a lot of money, but the seats we’ve sold since were not sold for that price, they were sold for less.

“We have a database of interested passengers and we are observing that price point come down. It’s very exciting because we’ve only flown two human missions so far and we’re already seeing that decrease. That will continue as reusable orbital vehicles get more common.

“As to the question of getting all the way down to a price where you and I do it, that’s going to be a while and that’s going to be a long time coming, I think.”

He said Orbital Reef offers more of a “value proposition” than a “short ride to space”.

“With Orbital reef, I can go someplace. So, just like people come to Dubai because it's a destination in itself, it has these attractions and things that are unique in the world,” he said.

“That's what Orbital Reef will be. It’s not just going to space, it’s going to a place in space that has its own set of amenities and entertainments and all that.”

Rival Virgin Galactic signed an agreement with the UAE in 2019 for a spaceport. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the UAE Space Agency and Abu Dhabi Airports to use the Al Ain airport facilities for commercial space flights, but there has been no update on construction provided since then.

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Squad

Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas) 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Key developments

All times UTC 4

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

LIST OF INVITEES

Shergo Kurdi (am) 
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris

Updated: October 27, 2021, 9:24 AM