Emirati firm promises to send citizen into space

An Emirati with a slice of luck can soon get the chance to explore space as part of a nationwide competition being launched by an investment company here.
Government-backed Aabar Investments - part owners of Virgin Galactic - today announced the start of a competition to award its winner a free place onboard Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, when it begins running commercial trips into space later this year.
The details of the competition are yet to be finalised, but it appears the large numbers of expatriates who far outnumber the local Emirati population aren't eligible.
"The specifics of the competition are being finalised but this is an ideal way for us all to give something back to the community of the UAE," said George Whitesides, CEO and President of Virgin Galactic.

"We are on the precipice of achieving our first goal our first flight to space which is expected to take place later this year," he was quoted as saying by abudhabicityguide.
Richard Branson, the brains behind Virgin Galactic, came up with the project as a way of making commercial space trips a reality.