Rocket Lab is dedicating itself to launching small satellites cheaply and efficiently — a capability the American company thinks the burgeoning private spaceflight industry desperately needs writes Calla Cofield on Space.com. Small satellites, some no bigger than a lunch box, are revolutionizing how people gather data about the Earth, and they might be the future of global communications.
Rocket Lab's business model is a bit like Henry Ford's was when he started selling Model T's: keep the machine simple, produce a lot of them and keep them affordable. Peter Beck, the company's owner, told Space.com that he'd like to reach a point where Rocket Lab launches one of its custom-made, small-satellite rockets about once per week. And similar to Henry Ford (who didn't even want to make different colors of the Model T), Beck said that until that basic goal is met, he has no plans to diversify the company's services.
"Generally, when people come to us and want us to get involved in other projects, we won't, simply because what we're trying to do here is so important," Beck said. "Who knows what the future holds, but we're laser-focused on getting this launch vehicle to market and, hopefully, liberating the small-satellite world."
Emirates Skywards, the award-winning frequent flyer programme of Emirates airline, has partnered with Dubai Duty Free, one of the leading airport retailers in the world, for instant Miles redemption at participating stores.
Emirates Skywards members can spend their Miles at Dubai Duty Free stores at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International at Dubai South.
Emirates’ five daily New Zealand services all go through Dubai International Airport.
Emirates customers travelling to or from its hub at Dubai International Airport or passing through on transit or direct connections to over 150 destinations in its global network, can look forward to 34,000 square metres of shopping at Dubai Duty Free.
Emirates Skywards members will enjoy a new payment method using Miles to redeem for more than 35,000 products from international and luxury brands including fashion accessories, perfumes, electronics and more. Customers simply need to present their Emirates Skywards membership card or provide their membership number, along with their passport and boarding pass at the check-out counters.
Redemptions start from 4,500 Miles which is equivalent to AED 100 (dirhams). Each additional dirham is equivalent to 45 Skywards Miles, and there is no limit to the number of Miles one can spend. Members can pay for products using a combination of Skywards Miles and cash or credit card.
Emirates Skywards, which is free to join, is in its 16th year and has over 16 million members. In addition to special offers with partner airlines, hotels and retail brands, members also enjoy special access to global sporting, arts and cultural events.
Since 1990 Dairy Production almost Double But Waste Water Treatment Capacity Unchanged
Agri process threat to rural drinking water deliberately ignored
You claim that pastoral pollution is first, foremost and always New Zealand’s top environmental priority?Let us look at dairy production. Since 1990 dairy output has increased 85 percent. So during this time we can say that the output of waste has similarly almost doubled. Yet waste treatment capacity has hardly increased at all during this time.
What is your advice?Fifty years ago urban New Zealand faced the same problem and in much the same percentage growth. The cities were filling up. The difference was that something was done about the attendant water problem. A strategy, mainly an engineering one, was put in place and then successfully implemented. Auckland and Wellington are the two obvious examples. So my advice is that as with the urban example, the rural water/waste problem is (a) officially recognised and (b) a plan is put in place to bring the problem under management.
What is happening at the moment?We see the people who should be dealing with problem in a state of paralysis caused by fashionable analysis. This is artfully disguised by the appearance of seeking to deal with this kind of problem by haring off to a variety of international conferences. On their return they grandstand and mouth off about global issues instead of doing something about this critical localised problem of agribusiness waste treatment. It is hardly a laughing matter but I am reminded of the quip when the man proudly states that he is the one who decides if the United States should invade Russia; but that his wife decides where the couple will in fact live.
You claim that in Europe this pastoral production waste treatment problem has been recognised and dealt with?We are lagging. Worse still, we have our heads in the sand about it. Deliberately so. The technology exists, it is called closed-loop and turns waste into energy. It is now proven and standard in many parts of the world including the Far East. The country that once pioneered things like refrigeration, top dressing, and milking shed automation can no longer dispose of agribusiness process waste by pumping it under the ground, over the ground, or into streams hoping that it dissolves somewhere out to sea.
So what is happening at the moment, here?We are inviting disaster and I am not just talking about the obvious danger of a pastoral-export economy such ours being seen to be deliberately lagging in the installation and application of standard public hygiene-related technology. I want to take this opportunity of flagging also the danger of all this to our next biggest industry, tourism, which is going to be the next one affected by this failure to deal with an obvious public health problem.
From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk - Friday 14 October 2016
Business leaders from some of New Zealand’s most iconic companies have come together today, with a shared vision to transition their fleets to electric vehicles (EVs).
The initiative driven jointly by Air New Zealand and Mercury, with the support of Westpac, represents a total corporate sector commitment of more than 1,450 vehicles and will increase the number of EVs on New Zealand roads by more than 75 percent within the next three years. Along with the significantly lower running costs of electricity, this could remove almost 3 million kg of carbon emissions annually.
The business leaders, representing more than 30 organisations, each committed to transition at least 30 percent of their company vehicle fleets to plug-in electric vehicles by 2019 at the breakfast briefing in Auckland which was also attended by Transport, Energy & Resources Minister, Hon Simon Bridges.
The collective commitment – which spans a diverse spectrum of industries including telecommunications, transport, waste and facilities management, finance and energy – follows announcements from Mercury in 2014 and Air New Zealand in March this year on their moves to EVs.
Air New Zealand will transition more than 75 percent of its light vehicle ground fleet to electric by the end of this year. Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon says today’s event is a landmark in addressing New Zealand transport emissions and demonstrating genuine sustainability.
“We knew other business leaders were interested in the potential of electric vehicles, both from an environmental and commercial standpoint. We wanted to get the business community together to lead the way on EVs and create the critical mass of demand necessary to really launch the market in New Zealand.
“The government has been a great partner to business in rising to the EV challenge. I know they will be keen to see even more EVs in the government fleet in the future. I also hope lots of other organisations will be inspired to come on board too.”
Mercury introduced plug-in vehicles to its fleet more than five years ago and will have more than 70 percent plug-in electric by 2018. Chief Executive, Fraser Whineray, says the business case for organisations and the logic of electric vehicles in New Zealand is clear, given the country’s renewable electricity supply, which is the envy of other countries around the world.
“This is New Zealand’s greatest green-growth opportunity. It’s very hard to argue with home-grown fuel at the equivalent of 30 cents per litre, no tailpipe emissions, reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels and helping preserve our hard-earned export dollars.
“New Zealanders are already on this journey with over half of all EVs in this country owned privately. Today’s commitment by business is significant both in showing leadership and because these cars will end up in the second-hand market, where most Kiwis buy their cars.”
Westpac Chief Executive, David McLean, says it was an easy decision becoming involved and supporting this initiative.
“We’ve started a trial of EVs and we’re committed to building this out across our fleet over the next few years and have undertaken to transition to 80 electric vehicles by 2019.
“Being a good corporate citizen is not just about the decisions that organisations make about their own business but about taking a broader leadership position.”
An Air New Zealand press release
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242