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Saudi Arabia’s GEA Chairman Launches Website of Golden Pen Award for Most Influential Literature

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh. SPA
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh. SPA
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Saudi Arabia’s GEA Chairman Launches Website of Golden Pen Award for Most Influential Literature

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh. SPA
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh. SPA

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh inaugurated on Sunday the website for the “Golden Pen Award for Most Influential Literature” in a ceremony held in Riyadh.

This marks the first award by the GEA aimed at transforming literary works into cinematic productions.

“We were delighted three days ago to announce that Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan will sponsor this award as part of a significant agreement between the GEA and the ministry,” said Alalshikh in his speech at the ceremony.

He emphasized that the website will serve as a comprehensive repository of Arabic novels, screenplays, and related content, aligning with the large-scale productions underway across the Arab world, particularly in the Kingdom.

Regarding the Golden Pen Forum, Alalshikh stated that it will be a special gathering place for writers with free membership. He added that there will be specific criteria for selecting beneficiary members, making it a vibrant focal point throughout the year in the Arab world.

Chairman of the Golden Pen Award Dr. Saad Al-Bazei announced the main phases of the award during a press conference held on the sidelines of the official launch.

He explained that the submission period for literary works will open on the website on September 15 and continue until September 30. The longlist will be announced on November 30, with the shortlist following on December 30.

The winners will be announced, and the awards will be presented at a major ceremony scheduled for February 2025, with the attendance of a distinguished group of writers, intellectuals, filmmakers, and celebrities.

Al-Bazei outlined the six award categories: major awards for novels and screenplays, best-translated novel, best Arab publisher, and the People's Choice Award, with a total prize value of $740,000. He further detailed that for the major awards and screenplay categories, the first-place prize will consist of $100,000 and a film production; the second-place prize, $50,000 and a film production; and the third-place prize, $30,000.

The novel categories will include eight awards, each worth $25,000, covering Best Thriller Novel, Best Mystery and Crime Novel, Best Romance Novel, Best Fantasy Novel, Best Comedy Novel, Best Historical Novel, Best Horror Novel, and Best Realistic Novel.

Al-Bazei also highlighted that the Best Translated Novel will receive a $100,000 prize; the Best Arab Publisher will be awarded $50,000, and the People's Choice Award will be valued at $30,000. Voting for the People's Choice Award will open on the award’s website at a later date.

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What is Helium and Why is it Used in Rockets?

India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III-M1 blasts off carrying Chandrayaan-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, India, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III-M1 blasts off carrying Chandrayaan-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, India, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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What is Helium and Why is it Used in Rockets?

India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III-M1 blasts off carrying Chandrayaan-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, India, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III-M1 blasts off carrying Chandrayaan-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, India, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Two NASA astronauts aboard Boeing's (BA.N) Starliner will stay on the International Space Station for months, because of a faulty propulsion system whose problems included helium leaks. Back on Earth, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission has been delayed because of helium issues on ground equipment.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft landed uncrewed in a New Mexico desert late on Friday.

Past missions have that have been affected by pesky helium leaks include ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 and ESA's Ariane 5. Why do spacecraft and rockets use helium, and what is so tricky about it?

WHY HELIUM?

Helium is inert - it does not react with other substances or combust - and its atomic number is 2, making it the second lightest element after hydrogen.

Rockets need to achieve specific speeds and altitude to reach and maintain orbit. A heavier rocket requires more energy, not only increasing fuel consumption but also needing more powerful engines, which are more expensive to develop, test, and maintain.

Helium also has a very low boiling point (-268.9°C or -452°F), allowing it to remain a gas even in super-cold environments, an important feature because many rocket fuels are stored in that temperature range.

The gas is non-toxic, but cannot be breathed on its own, because it displaces the oxygen humans need for respiration.

HOW IS IT USED?

Helium is used to pressurize fuel tanks, ensuring fuel flows to the rocket's engines without interruption; and for cooling systems.

As fuel and oxidiser are burned in the rocket's engines, helium fills the resulting empty space in the tanks, maintaining the overall pressure inside.

Because it is non-reactive, it can safely mingle with the tanks' residual contents.

IS IT PRONE TO LEAKS?

Helium’s small atomic size and low molecular weight mean its atoms can escape through small gaps or seals in storage tanks and fuel systems.

But because there is very little helium in the Earth's atmosphere, leaks can be easily detected - making the gas important for spotting potential faults in a rocket or spacecraft's fuel systems.

In May, hours before Boeing's Starliner spacecraft made an initial attempt to launch its first astronaut crew, tiny sensors inside the spacecraft detected a small helium leak on one of Starliner's thrusters that NASA spent several days analysing before deeming it low-risk, according to Reuters.

Additional leaks were detected in space after Starliner launched in June, contributing to NASA's decision to bring Starliner back to Earth without its crew.

The frequency of helium leaks across space-related systems, some engineers say, have highlighted an industry-wide need for innovation in valve design and more precise valve-tightening mechanisms.

ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES?

Some rocket launches have experimented with gases such as argon and nitrogen, which are also inert and can sometimes be cheaper. Helium, however, is much more prevalent in the industry.

Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket ditched the helium of its predecessor Ariane 5 for a novel pressurization system that converts a small portion of its primary liquid oxygen and hydrogen propellants to gas, which then pressurizes those fluids for the rocket engine.

That system failed in space during the final phase of Ariane 6's otherwise successful debut launch in July, adding to the global rocket industry's long list of pressurization challenges.