The UAE's latest satellite, Falcon Eye 2, lifted off into space in the early hours of Wednesday from French Guiana Space Centre.
A Soyuz rocket carried the satellite into orbit at 5.33am UAE time. It will operate as an Earth-observation satellite and provide images for critical missions, emergency relief, regional security and peacekeeping operations.
It will also monitor environmental changes and alterations to geographical features.
The satellite, which weighs 1,190 kilograms, separated from the rocket at 6.33am and was placed in a near-circular orbit 611 kilometres above Earth.
As part of the Falcon Eye programme, two identical satellites were built for the UAE Armed Forces.
The first was Falcon Eye 1, which was lost in space last year after the Italian Vega rocket that carried it failed.
The launch of Falcon Eye 2 was delayed a few times in the past couple of months because of bad weather and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are proud in this moment and I’d like to thank my crew and to the Emirates for working side by side with their partner for five years,” Khalifa Al Rumaithi, chairman of Falcon Eye programme, said during a live stream by launch service provider Arianespace.
“I confirm that tonight we’ve been successful with the Soyuz launch and Falcon Eye is in its targeted orbit," said Stephane Israel, chief executive of Arianespace.
The spacecraft will provide high-definition images from around the world for military and civilian use.
"The Falcon Eye system added lots of abilities to support the country's mission by maintaining the security of the country and the stability of the region," a senior official with the Falcon Eye project said.
“It is really considered to be a capability owned by a few countries worldwide.”
The project began five years ago and the satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space, in Toulouse, France. The UAE Space Agency oversaw its development.
A diverse team that included Emirati, French and Russian officials was present for the launch.
Many experienced engineers and technicians from the UAE Armed Forces are part of the Falcon Eye programme. An Emirati team in France oversaw the project from there.
"I'm honoured that my country provided me with the chance to be part of this high technological programme," an engineer said during the live stream.
Another said it was exciting to see how the satellite "will bring value to our country".
Philippe Pham, senior vice president of Earth observation, navigation and science at Airbus Defence and Space, said his team would hand over control of the satellite once they ensured it was fully operational.
“We are proud to lead the industrial team and to be part of a very high-resolution Earth-observation mission for the UAE,” he said.
“Falcon Eye is a state-of-the-art satellite. But it’s not just a satellite, it’s a full space system, including the ground segment and the imagery processing capabilities. It will deliver top-quality observation imagery for the customer.”
Airbus trained the Emirati team to operate the satellite's systems. This will enable ground control in Abu Dhabi to retrieve images and intelligence reports.
Michel Roux, Falcon Eye programme director at Airbus, said this had been one of their longest launch campaigns because of the delays caused by the pandemic.
“We started early this year, but the campaign had been stopped for several months,” he said.
"This is the year of Covid-19 and with lockdown, travel restrictions and the difficulty to work normally, it created several delays."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
