When Elon Musk became involved with Twitter, concerns were rife over whether he would be able to maintain the attention he devoted to SpaceX.
With Falcon 9 rockets in high demand and Starship’s development continuing, the company needed its chief engineer.
But SpaceX’s launch rate continued to grow last year, with a record-breaking 61 orbital launches from Florida’s Space Coast and some from California averaging one each week.
And work on a pad that would enable Starship launches — the world’s most powerful rocket that would take humans to the Moon and Mars — continues on the Space Coast.
'Unprecedented' launches
Eric Berger, author of Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX, said the rate set by SpaceX was “unprecedented”.
“SpaceX acquired the lease to Space Launch Complex-40 in Florida in 2007,” he said.
“Since that time its operations have grown to encompass two launch pads and three launch towers (including the new Starship tower at LC-39A).
“There are hundreds of employees. The company has gone from averaging about two launches a year from 2010 to 2014, to more than 50 launches from Florida in 2022.
“This increase in launch cadence is both remarkable and unprecedented.”
There has not been such a launch rate in Florida since the 1960s, when most were missile test flights.
Gary Dahlke, a volunteer at the Sands Space History Centre in Florida, said companies such as SpaceX were setting new records in this era.
“I can remember working in the Space Shuttle programme and if we had 12 to 15 launches in a year, that was an extraordinary number,” he said.
“And then all of a sudden these new companies come along — SpaceX probably in particular — that have increased the launch rate a phenomenal rate.”
SpaceX offers rideshare missions for small satellites that allows governments and companies to send payloads to space at a much lower cost.
The company is also part of Nasa’s Commercial Crew programme, which has allowed American astronauts to launch from US soil after relying on the Russians for nearly a decade.
The reusable rockets have also helped SpaceX’s business model significantly and have paved the way for the private space industry.
“SpaceX has shown that innovation and privately raised capital can be both disruptive and profitable in the space industry,” said Mr Berger.
“Since SpaceX first flew its Falcon 9 rocket in 2010, the amount of private money being invested in US space companies on an annual basis has increased by a factor of 10.
“The success of SpaceX has lifted the entire commercial space industry in the United States.
“As other countries have taken notice, they too have invested in commercial space. China, India, Europe and yes, countries in the Middle East, are using public money to spur innovation by private companies by offering launch contracts, service contracts, competitions, grants and more.”
Starship launches
Mr Berger believes the company would continue to grow its operations in Florida in the coming years.
But progress could be affected by limited range at the Kennedy Space Centre and Cape Canaveral — the two launch sites in Florida — as they also have to serve other customers such as Nasa, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.
SpaceX’s next bold move is launching its Starship rocket. Facilities for the rocket are based in Texas, with an orbital test flight yet to take place.
But a pad dedicated for the powerful rocket is also under construction in Florida to allow SpaceX to set a high launch rate.
“To truly scale its operations to allow for daily Starship missions, SpaceX will need to fly a regular cadence of missions from South Texas as well as offshore platforms,” said Mr Berger.
Mr Musk has already sold seats on the Starship, including to American billionaire Jared Isaacman who has purchased the first crewed orbital flight on a Starship. He then commissioned another three flights.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will fly on a crewed flight to the Moon and will take eight artists with him as part of his DearMoon programme.
Boeing, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and others
While SpaceX is leading the way in the commercial space industry, other companies are hoping to establish regular launches at the Space Coast.
The United Launch Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rockets could be regularly launching Boeing Starliner crew capsules once they become operational.
Boeing is also part of Nasa’s Commercial Crew programme, with the US space agency hoping to launch astronauts on both SpaceX’s Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner.
A Starliner test crew flight is scheduled to take place later this year.
Blue Origin has also set up enormous facilities in Florida, where it hopes to launch its next-generation New Glenn rockets, allowing the company to send cargo and crew to orbit.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
