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NASA Awards $415 MN to Fund Three Commercial Space Stations

This artist's illustration courtesy of Blue Origin obtained October 25, 2021, shows the core module of Orbital Reef. Handout BLUE ORIGIN/AFP/File
This artist's illustration courtesy of Blue Origin obtained October 25, 2021, shows the core module of Orbital Reef. Handout BLUE ORIGIN/AFP/File
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NASA Awards $415 MN to Fund Three Commercial Space Stations

This artist's illustration courtesy of Blue Origin obtained October 25, 2021, shows the core module of Orbital Reef. Handout BLUE ORIGIN/AFP/File
This artist's illustration courtesy of Blue Origin obtained October 25, 2021, shows the core module of Orbital Reef. Handout BLUE ORIGIN/AFP/File

NASA on Thursday awarded three companies hundreds of millions of dollars to develop commercial space stations it hopes will eventually replace the International Space Station, which is due to retire around the end of the decade.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, aerospace company Nanoracks and defense contractor Northrop Grumman won $130 million, $160 million and $125.6 million contracts respectively to develop their orbital outposts.

A fourth company, Axiom Space, was previously awarded a $140 million contract, AFP reported.

The US space agency is increasingly turning to private industry to develop hardware it once made itself, in order to reduce costs and to focus on its ambitious goals, which include building habitats on the Moon and preparing for a crewed mission to Mars.

"We are partnering with US companies to develop the space destinations where people can visit, live, and work, enabling NASA to continue forging a path in space for the benefit of humanity while fostering commercial activity in space," said NASA chief Bill Nelson in a statement.

"These awards will help ensure the United States has a continuous human presence" in low Earth orbit, said Phil McAlister, NASA's director of commercial spaceflight. "A gap would be bad."

Blue Origin is partnering with Sierra Space to develop Orbital Reef, which will house up to 10 people in the second half of the decade. It has been described as "a mixed-use business park in space" that will support microgravity research and manufacturing

Nanoracks' space station, which it is developing with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, is called "Starlab."

Nanoracks is targeting launch for 2027 and envisages a biology lab, plant habitation lab, physical science and materials research lab, and an open workbench area.

Northrop Grumman, which already developed a spaceship called Cygnus that provides cargo deliveries to the ISS, plans to build its station module by module, including areas for science, tourism and industrial experimentation.

None of the companies has given an estimate for the total cost of developing the space stations.

McAlister said NASA's financial contribution to the projects would not exceed 40 percent.

"The sum invested today by NASA to launch this program is small compared to the money that will be required," said Brent Sherwood, Blue Origin's senior vice president of advanced development programs.

It has been 21 years since the first long-term residents arrived on the ISS, a symbol of international cooperation, especially between the United States and Russia.

It is currently rated as safe until 2028, and new administrator Nelson has said he hopes it will last until 2030, by which time NASA wants the commercial sector to step up and replace it.

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Caffeinated Beverages May Help Protect the Brain, Study Says

A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
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Caffeinated Beverages May Help Protect the Brain, Study Says

A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)

Drinking a few cups of caffeinated coffee or tea every day may help in a small way to preserve brain power and prevent dementia, researchers reported on Monday.

People with the highest daily intake of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those with the lowest such intake, according to a study based on responses to questionnaires by 132,000 U.S. adults spanning four decades.

The study, published in JAMA, also found that the people with the highest intake had a lower rate - by nearly 2 percentage points - of ‌self-perceived memory ‌or thinking problems compared to those with ‌the ⁠lowest intake.

Results were ‌similar with caffeinated tea, but not with decaffeinated beverages, the researchers said.

While the findings are encouraging, the study does not prove caffeine helps protect the brain, they said.

The magnitude of caffeine's effect, if any, was small, and there are other better-documented ways to protect cognitive function as people age, study leader Dr. Daniel Wang ⁠of Harvard Medical School said in a statement.

Lifestyle factors linked with lower risks of ‌dementia include physical exercise, a healthy diet ‍and adequate sleep, according to previous ‍research.

"Our study suggests that caffeinated coffee or tea consumption can ‍be one piece of that puzzle," Wang said.

The findings were most pronounced in participants who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of caffeinated tea daily, the researchers reported.

Those who drank caffeinated coffee also showed better performance on some objective tests of cognitive function, according to the ⁠study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Further research is needed to validate the factors and mechanisms responsible for the findings, the researchers said.

They noted that bioactive ingredients in coffee and tea such as caffeine and polyphenols have emerged as possible factors that reduce nerve cell inflammation and damage while protecting against cognitive decline.

"We also compared people with different genetic predispositions to developing dementia and saw the same results - meaning coffee or caffeine is likely equally beneficial for people with high and low genetic risk of developing ‌dementia," study coauthor Dr. Yu Zhang of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said in a statement.

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AlUla Announces Exceptional Ramadan Experiences

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
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AlUla Announces Exceptional Ramadan Experiences

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA

AlUla Governorate is welcoming the holy month of Ramadan this year with a wide range of diverse tourism experiences that reflect the area’s distinctive character and rich cultural heritage, reinforcing its position as one of the Kingdom’s most prominent destinations to visit during the holy month.

During Ramadan, AlUla offers an integrated experience catering to different visitor preferences, including guided stargazing experiences, cultural events, and night markets, in addition to traditional dining experiences for Iftar and Suhoor, embodying the depth of AlUla’s cultural heritage and local identity.

The Ramadan programs in AlUla include a variety of standout events, such as Ramadan experiences at Maraya Hall, a cultural market, and live performances in the atmosphere of Ashar Valley, alongside heritage tours in AlUla Old Town that narrate stories of AlUla and its Ramadan customs, including the award-winning Incense Road Experience, SPA reported.

The programs also feature seasonal art exhibitions hosted across multiple cultural venues, including Design Space AlUla, the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, and the Arduna exhibition at AlUla Oasis, in addition to experiences combining art, nature, and stargazing at Daimumah Oasis in collaboration with AlUla Manara.

Visitors are also offered tours to prominent archaeological sites, including Hegra, Dadan, and Jabal Ikmah, to explore ancient sites dating back centuries BCE and view unique rock inscriptions, as well as adventure experiences ranging from dinner and stargazing in Sharaan, hot-air balloon rides, mountain hiking trails, and safari tours.

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience during the holy month of Ramadan and provide diverse options that meet visitor expectations, contributing to the growth of tourism activity and showcasing the governorate’s natural and cultural assets.

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NCW Releases over 10,000 Animals under Reintroduction Programs

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
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NCW Releases over 10,000 Animals under Reintroduction Programs

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) announced that the total number of wildlife animals released under its breeding and reintroduction programs for locally threatened species has exceeded 10,000 animals, an achievement reflecting the scale of the center’s sustained efforts to develop wildlife, restore ecosystems, and enhance biodiversity across various regions of the Kingdom.

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species, including reem gazelles (sand gazelles), Arabian oryx, Idmi gazelles, mountain ibex, houbara bustards, ostriches, and sandgrouse, as part of efforts aimed at supporting the recovery of natural populations of these species and enhancing their sustainability within their environmental and historical ranges, SPA reported.

CEO of NCW Dr. Mohammad Qurban noted that release operations are among the key tools for restoring ecosystems and reducing ecological imbalance, as the return of wildlife to their natural habitats contributes to protecting biodiversity and improving environmental quality, which in turn supports habitat integrity, the continuity of plant and animal components, and the enhancement of ecosystem functions over the long term.

NCW continues to implement its strategic plans to develop wildlife, protect endangered species, and enhance the efficiency of natural habitat management through expanding breeding programs, enhancing applied scientific research, building national capacities, and applying the best international practices in biodiversity management, in addition to raising environmental awareness, engaging local communities, and supporting eco-tourism, thereby contributing to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, and the National Environment Strategy, toward thriving and sustainable wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems.