Space, supersonic and super service

It is international space week and the Middle East and Africa region has been doing its bit. Space Editor Steve Nichols looks at how a university in Ras Al Khaimah is doing its bit for the environment by sending its own satellite into space.Things are speeding up in the airlanes as well with this week’s launch of the first flight test article – the XB-1 – for Boom Supersonic’s Overture jet.CEO Blake Scholl outlines why the successor to Concorde could appeal to the passenger and the pockets of the Gulf carriers.A key component of the supersonic aircraft – with tickets that match business class fares – is that it brings people together.That has been a challenge during the Covid pandemic.But Chuck Grieve, our MRO editor, talks to Etihad Engineering about how the Abu Dhabi based company has been able to maintain the close relationships with its airline customers.This plus all the news from across the region.