Aerospace

In Gesture To Israel, Saudi Arabia Opens Airspace To ‘All Carriers’.

In a gesture of seeming generosity towards Israel ahead of the arrival of US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabia declared on Friday that it was relaxing restrictions on “all carriers” accessing its airspace. The US president hailed Riyadh’s “historic” decision as the most recent act of accommodation toward the Jewish state, which Riyadh continued to refuse despite Israel’s intensive efforts to establish relations with Arab nations.

According to a statement posted on Twitter, the civil aviation authority “announces the decision to open the Kingdom’s airspace for all air carriers that meet the authority’s conditions for overflying.” Prior to Biden’s arrival in Israel on Wednesday, Washington had made suggestions that additional Arab countries might take action to advance relations with Israel, causing rumors about whether Riyadh would budge from its steadfast stance of delaying the establishment of formal bilateral ties until the conflict with the Palestinians is resolved. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco all established diplomatic connections with Israel in 2020 as part of the US-mediated Abraham Accords, and the monarchy made no protests at the time.

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Yet analysts have stressed that any immediate gains are likely to be incremental and that Riyadh will probably not agree to formal ties — not during Biden’s visit or while King Salman, 86, still reigns. Biden will travel to the Saudi city of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast Friday afternoon, despite a previous vow to treat the kingdom as a “pariah” over the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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Shortly after the Abraham Accords were announced in 2020, Saudi Arabia declared that UAE planes to “all countries” could overfly the country and permitted an Israeli plane to fly over while travelling to Abu Dhabi.
Following Friday’s announcement, aeroplanes flying to and from Israel are no longer subject to overflight restrictions.

Israel has pushed for the right to use overflights to reduce connections to Asian destinations. Additionally, authorities seek to allow direct travel to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrims from Israel. Currently, they must spend money on stopovers in foreign nations. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, has brought about “a profound change in Saudi thought” regarding Israel, according to Dan Shapiro, a former ambassador to Washington who Biden is scheduled to meet with on Friday.

Aerospace

Boeing Transfers Rocket Stage to NASA, Paving Way for Human Moon Mission

Image:Boeing

Boeing has achieved a significant milestone by providing NASA with the second core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

This crucial component, crafted at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), is set to propel the Artemis II crew into lunar orbit, marking humanity’s return to deep space after a 50-year hiatus.

The monumental Boeing-built rocket stage, the largest element of the Artemis II mission, will embark on a journey aboard the Pegasus barge, traveling 900 miles to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

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Upon arrival, it will be meticulously integrated with other essential Artemis II components, including the upper stage, solid rocket boosters, and NASA’s Orion spacecraft within the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building. This intricate integration process is a vital step toward the eagerly anticipated Artemis II launch, slated for 2025.

“Boeing-built products helped land humankind on the moon in 1969, and we’re proud to continue that legacy through the Artemis generation,” remarked Dave Dutcher, vice president and program manager for Boeing’s SLS program. “Together, with NASA and our industry partners and suppliers, we are building the world’s most capable rocket and paving the way to deep space through America’s rocket factory in New Orleans.”

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The delivery of Core Stage 2 marks a significant achievement in the evolution of the SLS rocket. Towering over 200 feet and powered by four RS-25 engines, this core stage, coupled with two solid-fueled booster rockets, will generate a staggering 8.8 million pounds of thrust. This immense power is crucial to launching Artemis II and future missions into the vast expanse of space.

The SLS rocket stands unparalleled in its capability to transport both crew and substantial cargo to the moon and beyond in a single launch. Its extraordinary capacity will facilitate the delivery of human-rated spacecraft, habitats, and scientific missions to destinations including the moon and Mars, ushering in a new era of space exploration.