• UAE adventurer Hamish Harding and five other passengers launched to the edge of space on Blue Origin's New Shepard flight on June 4. Photo: Blue Origin screenshot
    UAE adventurer Hamish Harding and five other passengers launched to the edge of space on Blue Origin's New Shepard flight on June 4. Photo: Blue Origin screenshot
  • Hamish Harding (second to right) with his fellow passengers prepare for their upcoming NS-21 Blue Origin space tourism flight. Katya Echazarreta (right), Victor Correa Hespanha (third to right), Jaison Robinson (third to left), Victor Vescovo (second to left) and Evan Dick (left). Photo: Blue Origin
    Hamish Harding (second to right) with his fellow passengers prepare for their upcoming NS-21 Blue Origin space tourism flight. Katya Echazarreta (right), Victor Correa Hespanha (third to right), Jaison Robinson (third to left), Victor Vescovo (second to left) and Evan Dick (left). Photo: Blue Origin
  • Hamish Harding, a British businessman in the UAE, will fly to the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Hamish Harding, a British businessman in the UAE, will fly to the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • From left: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan and Evan Dick were launched into space onboard a Blue Origin rocket on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AP
    From left: Dylan Taylor, Lane Bess, Cameron Bess, Laura Shepard Churchley, Michael Strahan and Evan Dick were launched into space onboard a Blue Origin rocket on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AP
  • Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of e-commerce company Amazon and Blue Origin, with the crew before the commercial space flight near Van Horn, Texas. Reuters
    Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of e-commerce company Amazon and Blue Origin, with the crew before the commercial space flight near Van Horn, Texas. Reuters
  • Jeff Bezos walks behind the crew as they proceed to board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. Reuters
    Jeff Bezos walks behind the crew as they proceed to board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. Reuters
  • Blast off as the New Shepard rocket heads for space. Blue Origin said that Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley were 'honorary guests' while the rest of the crew were paying customers. AFP
    Blast off as the New Shepard rocket heads for space. Blue Origin said that Michael Strahan and Laura Shepard Churchley were 'honorary guests' while the rest of the crew were paying customers. AFP
  • The New Shepard rocket soon after launch. The mission is Blue Origin's third manned space flight. AFP
    The New Shepard rocket soon after launch. The mission is Blue Origin's third manned space flight. AFP
  • Spectators near Van Horn, Texas, watch as Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket heads for space. AFP
    Spectators near Van Horn, Texas, watch as Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket heads for space. AFP
  • Among the crew of the New Shepard rocket was Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space, Alan Shepard, after whom the spacecraft was named. Reuters
    Among the crew of the New Shepard rocket was Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space, Alan Shepard, after whom the spacecraft was named. Reuters
  • Blue Origin’s New Shepard crew capsule returns back to Earth after a brief suborbital flight on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AFP
    Blue Origin’s New Shepard crew capsule returns back to Earth after a brief suborbital flight on Saturday, December 11, 2021. AFP
  • The crew capsule soon after landing in West Texas. AFP
    The crew capsule soon after landing in West Texas. AFP
  • Laura Shepard Churchley leads the crew after their return from space. She brought along a small piece of her father's capsule and some mementos from his later trip to the lunar surface aboard Apollo 14 in 1971. AFP
    Laura Shepard Churchley leads the crew after their return from space. She brought along a small piece of her father's capsule and some mementos from his later trip to the lunar surface aboard Apollo 14 in 1971. AFP
  • The commercial space flight was slightly longer than 10 minutes and reached an altitude of about 100 kilometres. It was five minutes and 186km shorter than Alan Shepard's inaugural flight. AFP
    The commercial space flight was slightly longer than 10 minutes and reached an altitude of about 100 kilometres. It was five minutes and 186km shorter than Alan Shepard's inaugural flight. AFP
  • Laura Shepard Churchley wears her father's Naval Academy class ring after her trip to space. Reuters
    Laura Shepard Churchley wears her father's Naval Academy class ring after her trip to space. Reuters
  • 'Good Morning America' co-anchor and former NFL star Michael Strahan with Laura Shepard Churchley on the landing pad after their return from space. AFP
    'Good Morning America' co-anchor and former NFL star Michael Strahan with Laura Shepard Churchley on the landing pad after their return from space. AFP

British explorer based in UAE to launch into space on Blue Origin flight


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

British explorer Hamish Harding, who has called the UAE his home for more than a decade, will travel to space on a Blue Origin suborbital flight.

The businessman, 50, is known for his adrenalin-fuelled stunts, including journeying to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine in 2021.

He will be part of Blue Origin’s NS-21 flight, which will also fly five other paying customers, on May 20, with a launch window starting at 5.30pm UAE time.

The flight also includes investor and NS-19 crew member Evan Dick; electrical engineer and former Nasa test engineer Katya Echazarreta, also the first Mexican-born woman to fly into space; civil production engineer Victor Correa Hespanha; and adventurer Jaison Robinson.

This mission will be the fifth human flight for Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme and the team was announced by the company on May 9.

The space tourism company has launched 20 people on these flights since 2021, including company owner and Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos and Star Trek actor William Shatner.

The suborbital flight involves a vertical launch that takes passengers about 106 kilometres above the ground, bringing a few minutes of weightlessness.

It is a 10-minute trip from lift-off near the rural West Texas town of Van Horn to a parachute landing.

A ticket price on a Blue Origin flight has not been revealed, but a ticket was previously sold for $28 million in an auction.

Hamish Harding is going to space on a Blue Origin flight on May 20. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Hamish Harding is going to space on a Blue Origin flight on May 20. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eamana%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karim%20Farra%20and%20Ziad%20Aboujeb%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERegulator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDFSA%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinancial%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E85%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESelf-funded%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars

Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.

Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.

After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.

Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.

It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.

 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

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) 

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')

Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')

Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Inas%20Halabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENijmeh%20Hamdan%2C%20Kamal%20Kayouf%2C%20Sheikh%20Najib%20Alou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Inside%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

WWE Super ShowDown results

Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title

Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship

Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns

Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party

Randy Orton beats Triple H

Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley

Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal

The Undertaker beat Goldberg

 

Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series

Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga

25%20Days%20to%20Aden
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Michael%20Knights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2026%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester

Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)

Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder

Transmission: Continuously variable transmission

Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Updated: May 18, 2022, 7:43 AM