Mission control to Manchester: British 'rocket man' launches mission to become first private firm to put tourists into space

Out of this world: Astronaut Matt Shrewbridge stands inside a rocket pod being tested next month


And next year they plan a manned launch test, firing the already-built 70ft 'Starchaser 4 off the ground in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire.

A team of British rocketeers plan to open the door to the stars by becoming the first private firm to put tourists in space.

Starchaser boss Steve Bennett and astronaut Matt Shrewbridge hope to loft the first paying passengers into the cosmos by 2015.

But before they can do that the Manchester-based firm, must carry out a series of trials.

The first ‘milestone’ in November will be testing their 20ft Launch Escape System (LES) – a rescue pod that separates from the rocket if the spacecraft fails.

If successful it will be the biggest rocket ever launched in Britain.
During both test flights - kept within the Earth's orbit - the LES will be controlled from the ground.

In future - during space flights - a Starchaser pilot will activate the LES, saving the three-to-five passengers on board.

Once Starchaser is fully operational passenger-rockets will take off from Spaceport America near the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Starchaser owns 20 acres and buildings at the site, which will eventually become mission control for the amazing operation.

Two unnamed tourists have already paid £250,000 each for the first seats and other places are available at £98,000 (plus taxes).

Tourists will be treated to a 23-minute sub-orbital flight 62 miles up, and will officially enter space.


Colossal: The 70ft Starchaser 4 rocket has already been built at the company's headquarters in Manchester


Proud: Starchaser boss Steve Bennett, who gave up his university job 14 years ago, with Matt and his rocket


Although, Russia's space agency has taken paying tourists into space, it would be the first private firm to do so.

Mr Bennett, who runs the project from Starchaser's Manchester headquarters, explained: ‘A sub-orbital spaceflight is when the spacecraft reaches space, but does not enter into an orbit around the earth.

‘It's a straight up and straight down flight following a large arc - like a a giant roller coaster ride without the wheels and tracks.

‘Our customers will get to fly in a real rocket, wearing a real spacesuit and will undertake an authentic space mission just like the early Astronauts did in the 1960s.

‘They will see the blackness of outer space, the curvature of the earth and they will feel weightless for a few minutes.’

Former lab worker and university lecturer Steve left his day job 14 years ago to realise his dream of making it into space.

He added: ‘My goal is to open the space frontier for everyone, to make access to space easy and inexpensive.

‘It's going to be like dot com all over again but instead of creating billionaires the space revolution will create the world's first trillionaires.

‘Space is only 62 miles away after all. If you can reach space, you're halfway to anywhere, like the Moon or Mars.


Mission control to Manchester: Matt tests out the systems in the Launch Escape System pod


Power: The Starchaser 4 rocket will be test launched next year in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire


‘One day someone is going to Mars and will be the first person to land on that planet. To me it would be the greatest thing if he or she went there on a Starchaser rocket or was inspired in the first place because our outreach team visited their school when they were younger.’

The biggest problem Mr Bennett faces is funding. He is currently £20,000 short of having enough for the 20ft LES rocket test flight.

After raising another £200,000 - which is expected to be next year - they will have the means to test fly the LES craft combined with Starchaser 4.

Over the past eight years Steve and the team have raised an incredible £4million thorough commercial projects.

A huge contributor to their funding is the company's educational space outreach programme SPACE4SCHOOLS.

Steve and the team are paid to visit schools around the UK and teach pupils about rockets and space travel.


source: dailymail

Brilliant Bahrain: Perfect pearls, shining skyscrapers and happy history in the Middle East's marvellous 'Dubai without the WAGs'

By KATHERINE BERGEN

Culture club: Bahrain offers a more stately side of the Middle East - as the Al Fateh Grand Mosque shows


Bahrain is like Dubai without the WAGs, as one expat put it. But I'm not sure that description does the country justice. Certainly, it's cosmopolitan, liberal, allows drinking, has more glitzy shopping malls and five-star hotels than you can shake a stick at, but also prides itself on its cultural heritage, dating back to prehistoric times.

We checked into the Gulf Hotel, 15 minutes from Bahrain International Airport. It was huge. We didn't get around to eating in even half its 14 restaurants, but I can recommend the Lebanese one, which features an exciting belly-dancer.

The Sherlock Holmes pub on the ground floor is as cheesy as it sounds, and popular with visitors from Saudi Arabia, only 16 miles away via a causeway, where alcohol is forbidden.

Hadija, one of a handful of women taxi drivers in Bahrain, told me that once cars from Saudi Arabia get to the Bahraini side of the causeway, the women, who aren't allowed to drive in their own country, get out and swap places with their male drivers.

The pearl in the oyster of this small country can, literally, be a pearl. Forget buying jewellery; sign up to one of the most romantic excursions a tourist can enjoy, a pearl-diving outing. You're allowed to keep any pearls you find.

With visions of finding pearls the size of peas, we booked the snorkelling pearl-diving with Mohamed Slaise, manager of the Al Dar Islands resort. He explained how male divers used to spend three months in the summer in the oyster fields. Their equipment consisted only of a bone nose-clip, hand guards and a stone tied as a weight to one leg. For centuries, Bahraini pearls have been considered the finest in the world.

The launch left from Sitra harbour, which was full of gently bobbing, timeless-looking dhows, traditionally used by pearl-divers. At the oyster beds, the water is only chest high, perfect for snorkelling, though so saline at first it's hard to dive under.

Mohamed showed us what to look for; the more gnarled an oyster is, the more likely it is to hold a pearl. This is not so much about the age of the oyster as that it might be weak and allow in the foreign body that ultimately becomes the pearl.

After an hour, and a haul of around 30 oysters, I handed the rope bag to my snorkelling companion to take over. Alas, darting off towards a particularly fine specimen, he left the bag full of oysters on the seabed and then couldn't find it. Tragic. We had to start again.

Unless you are an expert, opening the little beggars is a tricky business. We all poked about frantically in the flesh. This just perforates the oyster's stomach, making it much harder to see anything pearl-like.

The pearls we found were tiny, the size of grains of sugar, not the pea-sized orbs of my imagination. Yet I was proud of these babies. They were the real thing, unlike their large, but cultured, cousins. These are banned from Bahraini markets to preserve the kingdom's heritage and shopkeepers won't risk their licence to sell artificial, imported ones.

If you prefer gold, the Gold Souk in the Manama Souk, the old bazaar, will more than satisfy. In terms of the hassle, Bahraini souks are rather more civilised than their counterparts in Morocco or Egypt.


Having a bellyful: Bahrain is more liberal than some Middle Eastern states


Most gold here is 18 or 21-carat and it is all hallmarked and pure. It pays to know the current price of gold; prices here are based mostly on the weight of the item. Go in the early evening when it's cooler and before the late night crowds. Be prepared to haggle.

For a quicker pace, the Bahrain International Circuit, which stages the Formula One Grand Prix, is also home to a Hummer Driving Academy, one of only two in existence. Trained instructors will guide you through the circuit's on-site obstacle course, then take you around Bahrain's desert trails.

Although there are no official campsites in Bahrain, camping during the cooler months of January and February in the desert around Sakhir has become something of an institution. Tents range from basic to elaborate constructions with their own loos, showers, generators and satellite dishes.

Back in town, in Muharraq, Bahrain's former capital, the atmosphere couldn't be more different from the current capital, Manama. The latter is all shiny skyscrapers; the former has an old-world charm and feel.

There are winding lanes with wooden-shuttered houses, sculpted doors and ancient wind towers, which provided cooling in the days before air conditioning.

There is a fabulous coffee shop/museum here, the Bu Khalaf Coffee Shop, where you can sip light-brown cardamom-flavoured coffee. It's one of the newest additions to the Sheik Ebrahim Centre, which consists of several restored houses showcasing aspects of Muharraq's rich heritage.

Bahrain is an interesting combination. It's ultra-modern on the one hand, with tens of thousands of visitors coming every year for the Grand Prix. On the other, it cherishes its heritage and has just applied to Unesco to have a project preserving its pearl-diving tradition listed as a world heritage site.

It's a winning combination - cars for the boys; pearls for the girls.

Travel Facts

The Gulf Hotel, Manama, Bahrain has rooms from £126 (00 973 1771 3000, www.gulfhotelbahrain.com). BA flies to Bahrain from Heathrow from £459 (0844 493 0787, www.ba.com).


source: dailymail

The UK's best surfing breaks: Where to catch a few waves on the Costa Del Britain

By JENNY COAD

Wave hello: Britain offers plenty of powerful waters for surfers, especially on the South Coast
Sennen Cove, Cornwall


You don't have to fly to California to make like the Beach Boys. Britain has plenty of fabulous coastline ideal for surfing on powerful waves. From Cornwall and Devon to Northumberland and Scotland, Jenny Coad reveals the best locations for a board meeting with a difference.

CATCH A WAVE: Clear waters, scenery to make you gasp and a consistent swell. The Sennen Surf Centre take group lessons from £25 for two hours or £100 for five days. Teaching takes place in Sennen Cove and all equipment is included (01736 871 561, www.sennensurfingcentre.com).


WHERE TO STAY: Set in three acres of walled gardens, the Boscean Country House, a ten-minute drive away in St Just, provides a comforting base for surfers and walkers. You can take afternoon tea in the garden. B&B rooms from £85 per room, per night, (01736 788 748, www.bosceancountryhouse.co.uk).

If you want to be nearer the action, bed down at Whitesands Lodge at Sennen. Here you can share a self-catering lodge from £21pp a night (01736 871 776, www.whitesandslodge.co.uk).

NEARBY: Imagine myth, legend and battle at St Michael's Mount. Accessible on foot or by boat, the island will thrill and fascinate with its turreted castle and tropical gardens. More information (01736 710 507, www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk).

Land's End is a half-hour walk away, and the searing rock faces at impressive Porthcurno are three miles from Sennen Cove.

Croyde, Devon
CATCH A WAVE: Strong beach break and sloaney tones. The Olympic gold medal rower James Cracknell loves Croyde so much that he named his son after the village. At the Surfing Croyde Bay Surf School (01271 891 200, www.surfingcroydebay.co.uk/lessons cost from £35 for a two-and-a-half hour session.

WHERE TO STAY: B&B No10 is only five minutes from both the surf and the village. A good sleep is guaranteed between its crisp sheets and you can wash down your board and wetsuit in the garden shower. Rooms are £65 per night, including a fortifying full English (01271 890 280, www.bandbatno10.co.uk).

NEARBY: Henry Williamson wrote Tarka The Otter in 1921 and you can follow a part of Tarka's journey on the 180-mile footpath through North Devon. Find the walk at (www.devon.gov.uk).

Hell's Mouth, Wales
CATCH A WAVE: One of the 'buzziest' spots in North Wales, renowned for rippy surf, rocky take off and reef action. Hire equipment from West Coast Surf at £10 a day for a board and £8 for a suit (01758 713 067, www.westcoastsurf.co.uk). To hire a board you must be over 18, able to swim 50m in open water and be aware of rip tides.

WHERE TO STAY: Porth Tocyn Hotel in Abersoch is family run and only a mile from the beach. Stirring views of Cardigan Bay and the mountains of Snowdonia here and, inside, the rooms promise antiques and Egyptian cotton sheets.

The award-winning restaurant serves top- quality fare and a restorative Sunday lunch. Doubles from £95 per room, per night, including breakfast (01758 713 303, www.porthtocynhotel.co.uk).

NEARBY: The Lleyn Peninsula offers splendid walking and something special for steam train fans - the Ffestinog Railway.


Deceptively peaceful: Sennen Cove in Cornwall looks quiet here - but offers a consistent swell


Thurso East, Caithness, Scotland

CATCH A WAVE: Thurso is Britain's most northerly mainland town. The water is bracing and the surf advanced. Waves are 2ft to 8ft and higher. It's also home to O'Neill's Highland Cup competition, when the professionals show how it's done.

'It's up there with any wave in the world,' says Chris Griffiths, a top longboarder and former world No 5.

WHERE TO STAY: For a cosy bed after a chilly surf, Pentland Lodge House in Thurso fits the bill. Doubles cost £80 per night, including breakfast, which, it is promised, has locally sourced ingredients (01847 895 103, www.pentlandlodgehouse.co.uk).

NEARBY: Castle of Mey, where the Queen Mother holidayed every year for almost half a century. She bought the graceful property in 1952 and restored both the interior and gardens. Tickets to visit both cost £9.50. The castle is open until October 17, but closed between October 6-8 (01847 851 473, www.castleofmey.co.uk).

Alnmouth Beach, Northumberland
CATCH A WAVE: Thought to be one of the best beaches in Northumberland, Alnmouth offers acres of sand a short step from the village and the breaking waves can be spectacular. Surf is for beginners and seasoned boarders. The village is also famous for its beachside golf course.

Surf lessons are available in Druridge Bay, Warkworth (15 miles south of Alnwick) with daredevil surfer John Nolan, of Northside Surf School. Two-hour lessons cost £25 for adults £22 for children, including board and wetsuit hire (01665 713 146, www.northsidesurfschool.co.uk) or bring your board and brave it.

WHERE TO STAY: Guesthouses and B&Bs abound. Take in the estuary views over a local brew and a plate of chips at the Red Lion pub. Double rooms cost from £85 B&B (01665 830 584, www.redlionalnmouth.com).

NEARBY: Shoot an arrow at Alnwick castle, (a ten-minute drive away), which this year celebrates 700 years of ownership by the Percy family. There is a special exhibition detailing the family history of the medieval pile and archery lessons are available at £2.

Roam the gardens, which with thousands of roses and a poisonous plant section, are mesmerising. Gorge on locally sourced treats at the Treehouse restaurant. The castle and gardens are open from 10am to 6pm until October 29, combined tickets cost £20.80 for adults, £5.50 for children (01665 511 350, www.alnwickgarden.com).

The Witterings, West Sussex
CATCH A WAVE: This warm, sheltered stretch of sand is known locally as ' God's pocket'. Protected by the Isle of Wight, it's a year round draw for watersports fans and sun worshippers, boasting gentle surf with the best waves in autumn and winter.
2XS teaches surfing, body boarding and paddlesurfing. A two-hour surf session costs £35 and two hour paddlesurfing, £45 (01243 513077, www.2xs.co.uk).

WHERE TO STAY: The friendly Beach House B&B is a healthy stride from the beach at West Wittering and firmly on the walking circuit. If the sun is out, lounge in it on the verandah. Double rooms cost from £85 per night (01243 514 800, www.beachhse.co.uk).

NEARBY: Challenge your muscles further at Calshot activity centre. Try indoor rock climbing, track cycling and learn to sail or windsurf (0238 089 2077, www.calshot.com).

Peddle around the New Forest pathways, only ten minutes from the beach, and watch the wild ponies.


source: dailymail