There has been a continuous presence of humans in space since 2000, when the International Space Station became operational.
Now, as the floating laboratory gets closer to its inevitable retirement, there are questions around what would replace it.
Private companies are looking to commercialise low Earth orbit, with space stations that would welcome tourists, researchers and astronauts.
Meanwhile, government space agencies have increased their focus on the Moon, with Nasa, China and Russia looking to build a lunar base.
The National highlights some of the space stations that were announced by private companies and governments.
Orbital Reef
In October, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin announced plans to build a private space station in Earth orbit, called Orbital Reef.
The space tourism company hopes to build a “mixed-use business park” and is promising access to media, tourists, astronauts and researchers.
It is going to be a commercially developed, owned and operated low-Earth orbit station, built in partnership with Boeing, Redwire Space, Sierra Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions and Arizona State University.
“For over sixty years, Nasa and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade,” Brent Sherwood from Blue Origin said at the time of the announcement.
“We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalise space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness.”
The plan is to begin operations within this decade, after launching a power system, core module, life habitat and a science module. This would enable the station to host up to 10 people, initially.
Genesis Engineering Solution, an aerospace and technology provider, would supply single-person spacecraft on the station, allowing those on board to go on spacewalks.
Starlab
Less than a week before the Orbital Reef announcement, Nanoracks had unveiled plans of a commercial space station that would aid efforts in scientific research and tourism.
Founded in 2009, Nanoracks is a commercial space company that has sent more than 1,300 research payloads and small satellites to the ISS.
Now, it has gone into partnership with Voyager Space, a company into space exploration, and aerospace firm Lockheed Martin to build its first free-flying space station, called Starlab.
It would include a large inflatable habitat, designed and built by Lockheed Martin, a metallic docking node, a power and propulsion element, a robotic arm for servicing cargo and payloads, a laboratory to host research, science and manufacturing capabilities.
Up to four astronauts would be able to occupy the station. The company hopes to begin operations by 2027.
Axiom Station
Space infrastructure company Axiom is planning to launch a commercial module to the ISS that would become its own independent station once the ISS retires.
The station will offer access to researchers, astronauts and tourists. By 2028, the Axiom modules would be ready to detach from the ISS, allowing microgravity research, manufacturing and life support testing.
The first two modules that will be launched would each have four crew quarters.
Axiom also plans to launch the first paying crew to the ISS next year.
Lunar Gateway
Nasa has ambitious plans to build a station in the Moon’s orbit.
Called the Lunar Gateway, the station would host astronauts before they land on the lunar surface, using a human landing system.
It is part of the space agency’s deep space exploration plans, which includes building a sustainable human presence on the Moon under the Artemis programme, and sending astronauts to Mars from there in future.
Plans for the Gateway includes a Habitation and Logistic Outpost, an initial crew cabin that would offer astronauts basic life support and space to prepare for their trip to the lunar surface.
Nasa chose SpaceX to deliver cargo and other supplies to the station.
China-Russia lunar station
Earlier this year, China and Russia unveiled plans to build the International Lunar Research Station.
The proposal involves sending several Chinese and Russian missions to the Moon over a 15-year period.
Five facilities and nine modules are planned for the station, intended to support long and short missions to the Moon's surface and orbit.
The plan includes a facility that would support round-trip transfer between Earth and the Moon, lunar orbiting, soft landing, take-off on lunar surface and re-entry to Earth.
A long-term support facility on the surface will include a command centre, energy and supply modules, and thermal management.
Designs also include a “hopping robot” and smart mini-rovers that would move around the surface of the Moon.
The plan is to launch six missions by 2025 during phase one of the station’s construction.
It was reported that China is also working on a lander for human Moon missions.
China has astronauts in low Earth orbit who live on Tianhe, the core cabin module of its Tiangong space station.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Racecard
6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m
7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m
8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m
8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now