From landing a rover on the Moon to sending an Emirati astronaut for a six-month trip to the space station, 2023 is set to be the UAE’s busiest year for space exploration.
The Emirates will etch its name in history books many times next year if its space missions go as planned.
Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will take on the Arab world’s first long-duration mission, while the Rashid rover could become the first Arab spacecraft to reach the Moon.
The impending missions follow a string of achievements by the UAE, including reaching Mars with its Hope probe in 2021 and launching Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati astronaut, into space in 2019.
But a number of advanced missions are lined up to take place in the same year for the first time, all being carried out by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).
The National looks at the UAE space missions planned for 2023.
Rashid rover to reach lunar surface
The 10-kilogram rover is scheduled for launch in November from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
It will sit inside a Japanese lunar lander, called Hakuto-R Mission 1, and together the spacecraft will blast off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Once in space, the journey to the Moon will take approximately three months.
In early 2023, Hakuto-R Mission 1 will attempt to land on the Moon.
If successful, the rover will then descend on to the lunar surface, climbing down a ramp built on to the lander using its four wheels.
If things go as planned, the UAE would become the first Arab country to reach the Moon.
Emirati astronaut heading for International Space Station
Dr Al Neyadi, 41, will become the first Arab astronaut to fly in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. He will ride the Crew Dragon Capsule to the International Space Station next spring for a six-month stay.
The former IT professional and his SpaceX Crew-6 colleagues have been busy training in Houston, Florida and California.
They are learning how to operate the capsule, so they can safely fly to the orbiting science laboratory.
Dr Al Neyadi served as a backup astronaut for the UAE’s first space mission when Maj Al Mansouri blasted off on Russian Soyuz rocket for an eight-day trip to the ISS.
This latest mission is the first long-duration space mission by an Arab country and could feature the first spacewalk by an Arab astronaut.
MBZ-Sat
Late next year, the UAE hopes to launch MBZ-Sat, the region’s most powerful advanced-imaging satellite.
The 800-kilogram satellite will be carried into orbit on a SpaceX ride-sharing mission on board a Falcon 9 rocket in 2023. It has been named after President Sheikh Mohamed.
MBRSC is working with five private companies in the UAE to manufacture the satellite, including aerospace company Strata, engineering solutions company EPI, management consultancy Rockford Xellerix, Halcon, a company that makes precision-guided systems and Falcon Group, an inventory management company.
The UAE hopes to support the local space industry through this mission, with 90 per cent of the mechanical and 50 per cent of the electronic modules for MBZ-Sat built in the Emirates.
This is the second Earth-observation satellite to be built entirely by Emirati engineers. The first was KhalifaSat, which has been in operation since 2018.
Payload Hosting Initiative satellite
A small demo satellite with unique payloads is also scheduled for launch next year.
It is being developed under the Payload Hosting Initiative, a platform by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs that offers start-ups and developing space nations opportunities in space.
Engineers at the MBRSC have constructed the PHI-Demo satellite and two private companies have added their payloads.
One of the payloads on the 20-kilogram demo satellite is a propulsion subsystem that uses water to fuel the spacecraft.
Built by UK-based company SteamJet Space Systems, the technology offers a greener and more sustainable use of space.
OQ Technology, a company in the US that hopes to build a global satellite constellation dedicated to 5G, has built the other payload.
It includes an Internet of Things communication system that stores and forwards collected data from IoT devices in remote areas, industries and autonomous vehicles using 5G technology.
A second satellite, PHI-1, will be built in partnership with the UN’s space office.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
MATCH INFO
League Cup, last 16
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Company%20profile
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UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
Tu%20Jhoothi%20Main%20Makkaar%20
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Company%C2%A0profile
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