< PreviousThe final frontier With an exciting future ahead, the space tourism sector is opening up a new era for exploration and bringing us closer to the stars By Adelle Geronimo SPACE TECHedge_ august 2023 21 feature S pace has always captivated the human imagination. In recent years, the evolution of space technology and the emergence of space tourism have brought us closer to realising our dreams of exploring the cosmos. The rise and evolution of space tech has paved the way for an era where the average citizen can now venture beyond the Earth’s atmosphere and experience the wonders of space. The rise of key players like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX among others, have not only created a promising market outlook for space tourism but also positioned it to change the way we view and interact with the cosmos. A multi-billion-dollar industry While space tourism may look like science fiction coming to life, it’s not a new concept. In 2001, Dennis Tito, an American engineer and entrepreneur, became the inaugural “space tourist” by paying $20 million for a trip to the International Space Station. Throughout history, around 600 individuals have ventured into space. However, only a small portion of them can be classified as space tourists, as they embarked on their space journeys for recreational and leisure purposes rather than scientific exploration. From 2001 to 2009, a total of eight space tourists reached orbit, utilising government rockets and stations for their voyages. Interestingly, the SpaceX mission in 2021 marked the first entirely private expedition to orbit, with the crew even planning their own travel schedule. The rapid growth of interest in space tourism has resulted in many companies researching, designing and testing spacecraft to carry tourists to space on a regular basis. The global space tourism market is set to skyrocket to a staggering $8.67 billion by 2030. This surge is fuelled by the growing desire of affluent individuals to transcend the bounds of our planet and embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Notable players The Space Tourism market is experiencing astronomical growth and intense competition. With many companies clamouring for a slice of the cosmic pie, it’s no easy task to identify the crème de la crème. If you’re yearning to voyage among the stars as a private astronaut, the following companies present promising opportunities to make that vision a reality. • Virgin Galactic At the forefront of the space tourism revolution 22 edge_ august 2023 stands Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004 by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. Virgin Galactic was among the first to test space tourism flights, with Branson himself being the company’s first official commercial passenger. Last month, Virgin Galactic completed its first flight with “paying passengers” to the edge of space. The flight, called Galactic 01, lasted about 75 minutes and was completed two years after the company’s first fully crewed test spaceflight of its VSS Unity rocket plane. To date, Virgin Galactic has managed to secure a whopping 800 tickets for voyages on their spacecraft, with each seat fetching a sky- high price of up to $450,000. The company has grander ambitions in mind, setting its sights on constructing a substantial fleet capable of accommodating a staggering 400 flights per year. • Blue Origin Blue Origin has been the primary contender to Virgin Galactic in the realm of sub-orbital space tourism. The company, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos utilises a more traditional rocket, known as the New Shepard, which takes off and lands vertically. In August last year, Blue Origin conducted its sixth tourist spaceflight. The price range for Blue Origin’s sub-orbital space tourism experience is typically between $200,000 and $300,000 per person, covering a one-hour flight duration and a three-hour preparation programme. Meanwhile, Blue Origin’s orbital launch services are priced between $50 million and $100 million per person. • SpaceX With extensive expertise in launching space missions, SpaceX also has a hat in the space tourism ring. However, unlike many other players in this field, the company places a strong emphasis on lunar tourism and endeavours to extend beyond Earth’s orbit. Ode to an icon Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is named after Alan Shepard, the first US astronaut $8.67BN The projected value of the global space tourism sector by 2030 featureedge_ august 2023 23 feature Back in 2017, the firm’s founder Elon Musk declared his intentions to send two paying customers on a historic lunar tourism mission to circle the moon. Initially scheduled for 2018, the mission has faced delays. Currently, SpaceX has not disclosed any details regarding pricing or a waiting list for future lunar trips. Nevertheless, when discussing future travel to Mars, Musk has clarified that he is confident the price will eventually be around $500,000 and potentially even as low as $100,000. • Zephalto Zephalto, a French company, envisions the possibility of enjoying a best-in-class dining experience on the “edge of space” as early as next year. The space tourism venture, led by former air traffic controller Vincent Farret d’Astiès, is currently offering “pre-reservation tickets” for upcoming trips aboard a pressurised capsule named Celeste, which will be attached to a stratospheric balloon. Ascending to an altitude of 25 kilometres, the capsule will provide guests with breathtaking views of the Earth’s curvature. The pre- reservation tickets are priced at approximately $10,900, which will allow buyers to secure a seat as soon as the official ticket sales commence. The total cost for a journey on Celeste amounts to around $131,100. The road ahead While space tourism is currently reserved for the elite few due to its high costs, the market is projected to expand, making this extraordinary experience more accessible to a broader audience. As technology continues to evolve, costs are expected to decrease, opening the celestial gates to a wider range of space enthusiasts. The visionaries behind Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX are committed to driving progress in this field, pushing the boundaries of human exploration and innovation. While challenges remain, the promise of space exploration and the profound impact it can have on our understanding of the universe and our own planet makes it an awe-inspiring journey worth embarking upon. Zephalto Celeste will carry six passengers and two pilots to maximum altitude in just 90 minutes Journey to space Virgin Galactic has successfully sold more than 800 tickets for their spaceflightsBEYOND BORDERS Amid an era of widening talent gaps, we take a look at why hiring digital nomads offers a unique opportunity for modern enterprises PEOPLE feature edge_august 2023 2526 edge_august 2023 I t goes without saying that the events from the last couple of years have become catalysts in transforming the way we work. Remote work, a trend that was born of necessity, has now become a fixture across industries with many professionals taking advantage of a more flexible approach to the nine-to-five. While working from home is often associated with remote work, there is another trend that has emerged when it comes to work transformation – “digital nomadism”. Digital nomad employees represent a new breed of professionals who have fully embraced remote work by adopting a location-independent lifestyle enabled by digital tools and platforms. These individuals span various industries, including design, sales, writing, media, creative services, IT, marketing, and consulting. Unlike traditional remote workers who typically work from home, digital nomads have the freedom to choose their working hours and travel to new destinations without being tied down to a specific location. This sweeping trend has gained significant momentum in recent years, bolstered by advancements in communication technology, a growing desire for work-life balance, and the thirst for exploring new horizons. Digital nomadism, although not a new concept, experienced a significant boost in popularity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crisis accelerated the recognition of remote work’s potential and highlighted the many advantages it offers to both employees and employers. Dubai: An attractive destination for digi- tal nomads Current global studies estimate that there are now over 35 million digital nomads worldwide. As businesses confront the ongoing challenge of the talent gap, hiring digital nomads has emerged as an attractive and strategic solution. To cater to this growing trend, many countries, including Argentina, Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), now offer Digital Nomad Visas. Among the diverse array of global destinations competing to attract digital nomads, the UAE stands out as an enticing destination for professionals seeking a location-independent lifestyle. Dubai, in particular, has rapidly solidified its position as a strategic hub connecting Asia and Europe, making it an optimal choice for digital nomads. Dubai has recently been ranked as the second- fastest-growing remote working destination among seventy-five cities. With its robust technological infrastructure, featuring high-speed internet connectivity and state-of-the-art facilities, the city offers a fertile ground for digital nomads to stay connected and productive even as they travel and explore the region. To support digital nomads, Dubai has 58% The proportion of global organisations with tech talents in fully remote and borderless arrangements A growing trend To support the increasing number of digital nomads numerous countries including the UAE are offering Digital Nomad Visasedge_august 2023 27 feature introduced a virtual working programme, which includes a remote work visa valid for one year. In order to qualify, applicants must meet certain requirements, such as a minimum monthly income of $3,500 (AED 12,845), documentation proving employment or an operating business, and either health insurance or travel insurance with comprehensive health coverage. The cost of the visa, including application, medical fitness requirements, visa, and Emirates ID, amounts to nearly $611 (AED 2,300). The benefits of hiring digital nomads So, how can enterprises benefit from hiring digital nomads? The talent gap poses a significant challenge for companies seeking to attract and retain top-tier professionals. By embracing digital nomad employees, businesses can tap into a global talent pool unshackled by geographical constraints. These nomads can bring diverse skill sets and fresh perspectives to enterprises. Fifty-eight percent of organisations report having technology talent working in a fully remote and borderless arrangement, according to a recent study by Gartner. This number has doubled in the past three years. “Today, in the professional world, location is fluid, the market is global, and the talent competition is agnostic as we are all competing under the same flag, technology,” said Gabriela Vogel, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. “Consequently, countries are losing talent to other countries, the public sector is losing talent to the private sector, and all the verticals are in the same situation. There are no more competition, boundaries, and business and IT leaders hire borderless staff where they have the biggest competitive advantage – what we call the “borderless zone”.” Vogel further noted that hiring borderless staff requires businesses and IT leaders to make significant adjustments to their operational model, including revising their management techniques, infrastructure and technology, cybersecurity and data protection, and pay equity. Embracing the rise of digital nomads presents organisations with exceptional opportunities to “Today, in the professional world, location is fluid, the market is global, and the talent competition is agnostic” strengthen their workforce. By tapping into this talent pool, companies can unlock a range of advantages, including: Expanded talent pool: As the number of unfilled tech jobs rises, and with more turnover among younger tech workers, hiring digital nomads offers companies access to a vast and diverse talent pool, with professionals hailing from various backgrounds and cultures. Cost-savings: Digital nomads can leverage geo- arbitrage, which enables them to benefit from a lower cost of living in one part of the world while receiving a salary from a country with a higher cost of living. By hiring digital nomads, companies can offer competitive compensation packages to these professionals while being mindful of their finances. Enhanced productivity and flexibility: Digital nomads thrive in remote work environments, exhibiting adaptability, self-motivation, and efficient time management skills. Their flexible work arrangements and autonomous mindset often translate into higher productivity levels and the ability to deliver exceptional work, regardless of location or time zone. Cultural diversity and inclusion: Digital nomad employees bring unique cultural perspectives and global awareness to organisations. Their exposure to different environments nurtures creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities. By embracing this diversity, businesses foster inclusive work environments that drive innovation and success. As companies strive to gain a competitive edge, digital nomadism offers businesses the opportunity to tap into a global talent pool, foster innovation and creativity, and build inclusive work environments that drive success in today’s borderless and interconnected world. Competitive edge Digital nomads offer companies access to a global talent pool28 edge_ august 2023 Boomi makes waves in the Middle East and Africa B oomi has made its mark in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region as a stand- alone entity since its separation from Dell Technologies. A leading provider of intelligent integration and automation solutions, Boomi has been serving customers from a variety of industries including transportation, retail, logistics, manufacturing, government and many more for years. With its recent office opening, Boomi added team members across all functions, including sales, engineering, channels, marketing, customer success and more, to provide support and stay closer to its customers and partners. This expansion reflects the company’s commitment to supporting local businesses as it aims to help organisations ‘power the future of business with intelligent integration and automation’. Approach to intelligent integration and automation One of Boomi’s key approaches to intelligent integration and automation is its platform’s low-code capabilities. This ‘wizard-driven’ approach allows users, whether they are IT professionals or business users, to easily leverage the platform and develop their own skills. With Boomi’s intuitive interface, users can accelerate the integration of applications and data, reducing the time and effort required for complex integration projects. AI-first approach Boomi’s intelligent integration and automation solutions are powered by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Boomi.ai, a recent addition to the platform, utilises generative AI to understand and translate user inputs into actions. “Learning from around 20,000 customers and 200 million integrations, the generative AI resembles your thought process and translates your words into actions to radically connect applications, data, processes, people, and things,” said Ahmed El Hamouly, Head of META & CIS, Boomi. Boomi AI revolutionises integration technology with cloud-native iPaaS, AI-guided suggestions, and ML-powered integration generation. It reduces development time, streamlines workflows, and empowers organisations to build mission-critical integrations effortlessly. Flexible deployment model The company also offers a flexible platform that combines the benefits of SaaS and on-premise solutions. Here, customers have a Design plane for capabilities like integration, while the runtime plane allows them to choose where to install runtimes— on-premise, in the cloud, or hosted services. This approach provides a versatile deployment model, ensuring security, privacy, and minimising IT risk. It’s a comprehensive solution that empowers organisations to adapt and thrive in their integration journey. Powering the future with intelligent integration and automation By Arya Devi BUSINESS brand view Ahmed El Hamouly, Head of META & CIS, Boomi WWW.DEFSECME.COM AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION LOCK & LOAD The region’s leading voice for defence & security In print and online nowNext >