Reuters Science News Summary

UK variant carries higher death risk Telesat taps Thales Alenia Space for $3 billion deal to build low earth orbit satellites Canadian satellite company Telesat on Tuesday tapped Thales Alenia Space to build 300 low earth orbit (LEO) telecommunications satellites in a contract worth about $3 billion, saying the first launch would be in about two years.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs. UAE's Hope Probe enters orbit in first Arab Mars mission

The United Arab Emirates' first mission to Mars reached the red planet and entered orbit on Tuesday after a seven-month, 494 million-km (307 million-mile) journey, allowing it to start sending data about the Martian atmosphere and climate. The Mars programme is part of the UAE's efforts to develop its scientific and technological capabilities and reduce its reliance on oil. The UAE Space Agency, the fifth globally to reach the planet, even has a plan for a Mars settlement by 2117. Turkey aims to reach moon in 2023, Erdogan says

Turkey aims to achieve first contact with the moon as part of its national space programme in 2023, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. "The first rough landing will be made on the moon with our national and authentic hybrid rocket that shall be launched into orbit in the end of 2023 through international cooperation," Erdogan said, detailing a two-phase mission. An unleashed Jeff Bezos will seek to shift space venture Blue Origin into hyperdrive

Freed from his daily obligations at Amazon.com Inc, Jeff Bezos is expected to turn up the heat on his space venture, Blue Origin, as it faces a pivotal year and fierce competition from Elon Musk's SpaceX, industry sources said. The 57-year-old Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast and the world's second-richest person behind Musk, said last week he is stepping down as chief executive of the e-commerce company as he looks to focus on personal projects. Death risk higher from UK virus variant; vaccine in pregnancy may protect newborns

The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. UK variant carries higher death risk Telesat taps Thales Alenia Space for $3 billion deal to build low earth orbit satellites

Canadian satellite company Telesat on Tuesday tapped Thales Alenia Space to build 300 low earth orbit (LEO) telecommunications satellites in a contract worth about $3 billion, saying the first launch would be in about two years. LEO satellites operate 36 times closer to the earth than traditional ones so they take less time to send and receive information, leading to better and faster broadband service even in remote areas.