Dubai unveils Dh55b aerospace enterprise

Dubai: Dubai yesterday launched a Dh55 billion ($15 billion) initiative, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, that will place the emirate in the global aviation manufacturing supply chain in soon, officials said.

The announcement was made in the presence of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The government entity will tap a Dh3.67 trillion ($1 trillion) global aviation industry and transfer international aviation and aeronautics technology to the region.

The enterprise will participate in components and aircraft fuselage production for new aircraft models such as the Airbus A350 programme, and generate 30,000 new jobs.

"Within 10 years, DAE will become an integral part of the global aerospace industry," Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai's Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group and DAE Chairman, told a gathering last night.

"We are putting down a marker for the future. DAE signals our clear intention to become one of the driving forces of the global economy and reflects confidence in our ability to achieve this."

Dr Mohammad Al Zarouni, director-general of the Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority, and managing director of the aerospace enterprise, said more than 60 per cent of the future aircraft orders will be made by airlines in the Middle East.

The enterprise, to be based in the 140-square kilometre Jebel Ali Airport City (JAAC), will create the world's largest aviation hub and prepare Dubai to participate in major aircraft manufacturing programmes.

It will be part of the development and management of airports and free zones across the Middle East and Asia, including India and China.

[Source: Gulfnews.com]

Space Tourism in United Arab Emirates

Ras Al Khaimah: The only company to have sent tourists into space has announced plans to develop a commercial spaceport in Ras Al Khaimah, from where it will operate suborbital flights.
His Highness Shaikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and the emirate's Department of Civil Aviation have granted clearance to Space Adventures Ltd to operate suborbital flights from the emirate. The project will cost $265 million (Dh975 million), officials said.
The Russian-built suborbital vehicle called Explorer will have the capacity to transport up to five people to an altitude of nearly 100km in space, but the project's schedule is yet to be announced.
The spaceport will be funded among others by the Government of Ras Al Khaimah and Space Adventures. The Virginia-based company is also partnering Ras Al Khaimah to expand the spaceport project beyond UAE to other potential space toursim locations such as Singapore and the US.
The UAE spaceport, to be located less than an hour's drive from Dubai, already has commitments for $30 million (Dh110 million).
"I am proud to announce Ras Al Khaimah as the site where commercial suborbital travel will flourish," said Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ras Al Khaimah Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler. "As a leader in tourism, the UAE is the ideal location for the spaceport," said Eric Anderson, President and CEO of Space Adventures.
The company was behind the trips of the world's first three space tourists, sending Dennis Tito, Greg Oslen and Mark Shuttleworth to the International Space Station.

[Source: Gulfnew.com]

Space Station SIM??!!

A friend sent me this link this afternoon. Such a cool space game. Hey! I accept early Birthday gifts ;)

[Link]

Somebody is calling me from Space

I had weird dream before I wake up this morning. I dreamt that I was holding a hand held radio waiting for International Space Station pass over Kuwait in one hour but I heard astronaut Bill McArthur calling on the radio as I was testing the antenna. He he he Weird!



I have tried zillion times to talk to astronaut Bill since the beginning of this year but I had many failed contacts with him. I always hear him calling me over the radio since my friends in Europe told him to call for 9K2MD and look for a young lady in Kuwait. So when the International Space Station pass over Kuwait, he start calling for ME! Wow, that is so special to get a call from an astronaut in space. As soon I heard him calling, I got nervous, giving directions to my sister on directing the antenna. I replied him, but he seems he totally didn’t hear my call. And he kept calling me on and on and on until the end of the pass.

“What’s the hell happened?” I thought the problem was with my microphone. The next pass, same problem too. Bill just cannot hear my call. The next day too, Bill was calling me and he doesn’t hear me. It kept like that for 7 times I guess which I hear Bill on the radio and he doesn’t hear me at all. I found out that the CPU of my radio transceiver doesn’t work probably. DAMN!

Hmmm I like astronaut Bill because he never stopped calling me on the radio and never give up that I may reply him one day when my radio get fixed. He is a cool man.

By the way, I really appreciate the moment when I had a successful radio contact with cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev… It was such a rare contact with Krikalev ;)

Check out my writing too at YURI'S NIGHT BLOG

Retired Astronaut "Survives" First Week on Reality TV Show

"Exile Island", the 12th and latest entry in CBS's "Survivor" reality TV series debuted Thursday night with retired three time space shuttle astronaut Dan Barry among the castaways.

Separated into gender and age grouped teams, Barry's older men "La Mina" camp got off to a strong start, finishing the first challenge before the other three "young women," "older women" and "younger men" tribes of four people each.

Between the initial contest that began the show and Survivor's trademark "immunity challenge", which decides which group would have to vote someone "off the island", Barry and fellow La Mina castaway Terry Deitz bonded as Dan shared he was an astronaut with the former F-14 turned American Airlines pilot. Barry's space flight experiences - including flying twice to the International Space Station - are a secret to the other 14 castaways.

The older men ended the episode by coming in second, which earned their immunity, leaving Barry to "outwit, outplay and outlast" until next week's show.

[Source: Space.com]