UAE | General
Dubai resident's dream of space travel to come true
Adnan Al Maimani, from Dubai, will be the first UAE national to fly to space.
- By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 March 29, 2006
Ras Al Khaimah: A man is set to have a real blast.
Adnan Al Maimani, from Dubai, will be the first UAE national to fly to space. Space Adventures, Ltd announced yesterday that Al Maimani will launch from the commercial spaceport to be located at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
The world's leading space experience company, Space Adventures, Ltd., yesterday announced his name as the first national traveller into space from the UAE.
Al Maimani will be launched from the proposed commercial spaceport to be built at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
Eric Anderson, President and CEO of Space Adventures, said: "Since we made the initial announcement last month, we have received thousands of inquiries from individuals in the Gulf region, especially from the UAE, who are interested in commercial spaceflight and want to fly."
Al Maimani said: "I am honoured to represent the UAE as the first national to fly to space, but even more thrilling is that I'll launch from Ras Al Khaimah. ... I have been interested in space exploration as long as I can remember."
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?The company, which organised orbital flights for the world's entire private space explorers, announced plans to locate a spaceport in RAK last month.
Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and the UAE Department of Civilian Aviation, have permitted suborbital spaceflights in their air space. The suborbital space transportation system was designed by Myasishchev Design Bureau of Russia. Explorer will be able to transport up to five people into space.
Shaikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the RAK Department of Civil Aviation, had announced that a trip would cost the traveller $100,000 to $150,000 (Dh370,000-Dh550,000). The trip will last up to 45 minutes, of which the traveller will spend a few minutes outside the atmosphere.
The rest of the trip will be the flight from RAK to the edge of the atmosphere.
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