USA Update

A HUGE motorway that’s used by 140,000 vehicles every day is set for a series of closures throughout the next couple of weeks – starting from tomorrow.

The essential works will happen over a number of days and promises to “benefit both communities living near to the motorway and those traveling on it for many years to come.”

Alamy

A major motorway that’s used by up to 140,000 vehicles every day is set for a series of road works[/caption]

Alamy

The essential works will happen over a number of days and will see a number of junctions temporarily closed[/caption]

Sections of the M27 are due to be closed from October 15, with works running until October 27.

National Highways revealed that the road works will begin between junctions 5 and 8.

That includes the eastbound exit slip road at junction 7, which will be closed between 9pm on October 15 and 6am on October 19.

What’s more, the eastbound entry and exit slip roads at junctions 5 and 7, as well as the eastbound exit slip road at junction 8, will be closed between 9pm and 6am from October 15 to 18.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “The main focus of work will involve the closure of junction 7 of the M27 eastbound exit for an extended period.

“This is to allow us to install new low noise asphalt and raise the gradient of the slip road by 180mm to ensure it matches the new motorway surface.”

Following this work, the eastbound entry and exit slip roads at junction 5, the eastbound exit slip road at junction 7, and the eastbound exit slip road at junction 8 will then be closed from 9pm to 6am between October 19 to 27.

Drivers travelling on the eastbound carriageway have been warned they will not be able to exit at junctions 5, 7 or 8 if travelling in the contraflow lane while these road closures are in place.

Locals must also note that barriers being moved along the road can create noise, which may cause inconvenience or disruption.

The resurfacing work on the M27 is part of a two-year, £83m upgrade of the motorway that has caused numerous delays for drivers.

The much-used motorway, which is nearly 28 miles long and runs between Cadnam and Portsmouth, is known to drivers for its section of concrete around the Southampton area.

The noisy surface was chosen after the oil crisis in 1973, when bitumen used for roads was in short supply.

Now, the surface is being upgraded to lower the noise caused by the thousands of motors that take the route each day.

Derek MacMillan, senior works manager for the contractor, Morgan Sindall, explained to the BBC: “We’re overlaying the tarmac onto a binder that’s going on top of the existing concrete.

“Up to 150 people are working in shifts, night and day.

“The job’s going to go on until spring next year.”

Programme manager for National Highways Richard Scrase believes the finished work will greatly improve the area.

He said: “We will end up with a quieter drive and less impact to the motorway’s neighbours.

“This will be good for the next 40 years.”

The M27 isn’t the only major motorway set for closures this week, as the M4 will also be closed in both directions between junction 18 and 19 for a number of days.

Fortunately, a diversion route will be in place, but drivers are warned to expect major congestion.

Elsewhere, the DVLA has revealed its full list of banned 2025 number plates, with more than 250 deemed “too rude” for the road.

Alamy

The resurfacing work on the M27 is part of a two-year, £83m upgrade of the motorway[/caption]

WAYNE BRIDGE showed off the stunning results of his hair transplant at the star-studded screening of ‘The Wild Robot’ on Sunday.

Bridge, 44, was supporting wife Frankie, 35, who voiced the part of Snowdown the Goose in the upcoming Dreamworks film.

The former footballer revealed that he had a hair transplant at a top Harley Street Clinic to boost his confidence at the start of October.

It involved removing 4,085 hair follicles individually and then replanting them in the balder areas with a special pen – without the need to shave the whole head.

Bridge explained how Frankie encouraged his decision.

And now Bridge has returned the favour by supporting his wife on the red carpet during the 68th BFI London Film Festival. 

The impressive results have come through quickly as Bridge’s hair looked full and no patterned baldness could be detected.

The couple were joined by their two sons Parker, 10, and Carter, eight.

Wayne previously said:”I have been suffering from hair loss since my mid-30s and I just felt it would give me a bit of a boost to get it sorted.

“So many men are getting help with their hair and it is really no big deal. I told Frankie what I was doing and she was really supportive.

FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS

“She said, ‘Go for it,’ and supports anything that makes me feel better about myself.”

Bridge was inspired to get the treatment after a celebrity friend recommended the London specialists, whose treatments start from £3,000 and where cricketer Phil Tufnell went for his new look.

He explained: “I bumped into him at a wedding and his hair looked great.

“He explained that he had gone to DHI because the treatment is so discreet and no one knows you have had it done until all the hair has grown back.”

Bridge made his name and fortune after breaking through at Southampton to earn his transfer to Chelsea in 2003.

After six years at Stamford Bridge, he joined Manchester City then finished his club career with Reading in 2014.

Bridge famously fell out with John Terry over allegations that his England team-mate had an affair with Bridge’s former girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel in 2009. 

Bridge tied the knot with glamorous Frankie in July 2014 – nine months after Parker was born.

THE Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board will bring shame on its own body if it suspends Shark Hanlon from training.

That’s my view on ‘tarpaulingate’, which faces crunch time, or ‘le crunch’, as my old man used to say.

PA

Shark Hanlon is in the dock after a driver filmed an open carcass on the back of one of his horse trailers – after the tarpaulin covering the body had blown off[/caption]

Today, Hanlon appeals against the severity of a ten-month suspension for bringing racing into disrepute – something many feel IHRB will do to themselves if they ban the trainer – after he transported a dead horse in an open (although it didn’t begin that way) trailer attached to one of his branded lorries.

Unless the IHRB have something on Hanlon that none of us know, this seems an outrageously unnecessary punishment for any governing body to give to one of its participants.

Indeed, if looked at sensibly you could argue some readers would believe Hanlon deserves a medal for transporting a dead horse away from open land as soon as he could.

Of course, Hanlon himself would not see it like that, because as a man who deals with animals on a daily basis he would just consider it the right thing to do.

This case, though, is not just about that.

For those of you who don’t know how the chaos has evolved, it all became public in June when footage from a mobile phone was widely shared on social media of a dead horse carcass visible to the public in Hanlon’s trailer.

The King George-winning handler explained the unfortunate event by telling everyone that a tarpaulin covering the carcass had blown off during transportation to a knackery in Co Carlow.

It was impossible to see that while driving.

There are numerous witnesses to the fact a tarpaulin was in place, and Hanlon himself re-tracked his journey and picked it up later on the day concerned.

An IHRB panel decided Hanlon had been “grossly negligent” in the transportation of the carcass and had caused “significant prejudice to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of the sport of horse-racing.”

What utter nonsense.

It also concluded that Hanlon’s appreciation of the matter should have been sharpened by the fact that the events occurred in the context of an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme relating to serious equine welfare issues being broadcast earlier that week.

Again. Totally irrelevant.

It’s nothing to do with Hanlon that RTE had a show on equine welfare.

But more importantly than that, he had taken every step to cover the horse. The cover came loose. These things happen.

Yes, it didn’t look good. But to take someone’s career way for that is ridiculous in the extreme.

Do the right thing IHRB and free the Shark.

It’s worth remembering, people, that this is an organisation that still hasn’t fully explained the “bombshell” €350,000 transferred between the Jockeys’ Emergency Fund (JEF) to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and back again in early 2022.

It would be nice to get answers there. If anything untoward has happened then presumably all the IHRB hierarchy will be resigning immediately. Or at least suspended!

OH God. How could racing around the world have got the whip so wrong?

I don’t just blame the UK here, although I feel the BHA has been at the front of this mayhem, mainly because those who pop in and leave the game as quick as they have arrived see it as something they can put on their CVs.

How they left their mark and saved the Sport of Kings. As if.

The BHA is used to messing things up. You can also throw in Premier Racedays which have clearly failed.

No surprise the same leaders have quit, leaving others to sort out the mess they have created.

I’ve tried so many times to debate the whip with those in charge at BHA and every time they have refused to do so.

They aren’t even confident enough in their own rules to have a debate! Well, that is other than with their chosen ones.

This all blew up again on Saturday, when following the Cesarewitch winning rider Jamie Powell was deemed by the stewards to have used his whip ten times before scoring by a nose, four more than the permitted level on the Flat.

That is the trigger point for disqualification if the BHA’s whip review committee, which meets tomorrow, agrees that all ten uses made contact and none were clearly used for safety purpose.

It’s sad that people have become so bored by the non-sensical whip rules that the general attitude on social media is – they (the jockeys) know the rules just ride within them. Pathetic.

There are very obvious reasons why the rules make no sense.

The first, of course, is that the whip is no welfare issue. That in itself should be enough.

But there is more.

Secondly, every jockey uses the whip differently. Six strokes by an apprentice having their first ride will be very different than six strokes from the recently retired Tony McCoy!

So clearly one rule for all just doesn’t work straight away.

Added to that, the distance of a race should be taken into account as well. It’s not.

And who decided that a horse needs time to reply between strikes?

I’ve not seen one piece of scientific evidence that suggests this is true.

I have, however, seen many races where a horse has been hit with a whip quickly and responded very nicely!

You only have to look back at Lester Piggott in the Derby, or more recently what Vincent Ho did on the Hong Kong legend Golden Sixty.

The latter loved every moment of being struck with the whip quickly and responded every time.

Indeed, some top jockeys I have spoken to have told me two quick slaps is much more useful to them than allowing time between strikes.

It’s all a nonsense. All pointless. And all achieving nothing other than trying to pretend a foam-padded whip is not crucial for racing.

Most significantly, allowing the majority of horses who need encouragement to do their best, and proving a crucial tool for integrity purposes.

That latter point is important as the whip it not a welfare issue.

Jamie Powell’s horse was responding in the Cesarewitch and wasn’t hurt in any way.

That is all that should matter to everyone and anyone who enjoys horse racing and animals.

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

---

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

HISTORY will be made in Phillippines as Team Asia go up against Team Europe for the first-ever Reyes Cup Pool tournament.

It promises to be a historic celebration of pool as the finest players from each continent will face off in an exhilarating four-day battle.

Getty

Jayson Shaw will be in action at the Reyes Cup[/caption]

The likes of Aloysius Yapp and Ko Pin Yi will lead the charge for Team Asia.

While Mosconi Cup champions Jayson Shaw and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz are set to represent Team Europe.

However, reigning world eight-ball champ Joshua Filler has now been REMOVED from the Reyes Cup due to ‘concerns over contractual obligations’ around the event.

Matchroom Multi Sport CEO Emily Frazer revealed that the competition has been named after Efren Reyes due unwavering passion for the sport for over 50 years.

Reyes said: “I am truly humbled and honored that Matchroom has chosen to name this prestigious event after me.

“The Efren Reyes Cup is not just a tournament, it’s a celebration of the sport we love, and I am excited to see the pool community come together for its first edition in the Philippines”

When is the Reyes Cup Pool 2024?

• The Reyes Cup Pool 2024 will get underway on Tuesday, October 15 before concluding on Friday, October 18.
• Matches are scheduled to start at midnight in the UK – 7:30pm local time.
• Ninoy Aquino National Stadium in Manila, Phillippines is the chosen venue for this huge tournament and it holds a seating capacity of 6,000 spectators.
• This is the first-ever Reyes Cup Pool competition.

What TV channel is the Reyes Cup Pool 2024 on and can it be live streamed?

• The Reyes Cup Pool 2024 will be broadcast LIVE for FREE on Matchroom Pool’s official YouTube channel
• Fans in the UK can also watch the action live on Sky Sports Mix.
• Sky Sports customers can stream the competition via NOW TV.

What is the Reyes Cup Pool 2024 format?

The Reyes Cup will follow the same format as the Mosconi Cup.

Team Asia and Team Europe will compete over four days in several doubles and singles matches.

And the first team to win 11 matches will be victorious.

What are the teams?

Team Asia: Johann Chua, Aloysius Yapp, Ko Pin Yi, Carlo Biado, Duong Quoc Hoang

Team Europe: Jayson Shaw, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Mikey Krause, Eklent Kaci, David Alcaide

Reyes Cup Pool 2024 schedule

Tuesday, October 15
From midnight

Wednesday, October 16
From midnight

Thursday, October 17
From midnight

Friday, October 18
From midnight

SUN readers can win a stunning VW Campervan and a Lamborghini Urus or £170,000 cash alternative from just 45p with our special discount code this week.

We have teamed up with 7days Performance to offer one lucky winner the chance to claim this amazing prize this week.

ENTER NOW FROM 45p

The competition is open now and closes at 8.45pm Sunday 20th October with the draw available to watch live on Facebook at 9pm.

Tickets are normally 50p but Sun readers can claim a discounted price of 45p when you sign up and use promo code SUN10.

Cash Alternative Options

• Lamborghini Urus + £40,000 Cash
• 2023 Volkswagen Campervan + £130,000 Cash
• £170,000 Total Cash Alternative

You can enter online, or with a postal entry.

Every competition has a limit on the number of entries, and each prize is guaranteed to be won regardless of the number of entries.

7days Performance have competitions almost every day for amazing prizes as well as massive cash jackpots. So far they have given away over £105million with 800,000+ prizes won.

ENTER NOW FROM 45p

2023 Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 Campervan

• 2023 Model
• Only 9k Miles
• 2.0L Diesel Engine 
• 5-Speed Manual Gearbox
• Mineral Grey Metallic Paintwork
• Highline Model

VW’s Transporter family of vans have built themselves an iconic image over the years. With over six generations of VW Transporters, starting with the original split-screen T1 bus, VW have now sold over 12million commercial vehicles worldwide.

The current version of VW’s Transporter retains the legendary status of the early split-screen T1, but couldn’t be further away in terms of design & technology included with all of the modern refinements you’d expect from VW.

This T6.1 Transporter has recently had a full campervan conversion, courtesy of HardyVDubs, With the Austops Scenic Canvas Pop Top Roof, Digital Diesel Night Heater, Double Hob & much more, this really is the ultimate weekend away camper.

Lamborghini Urus

• 2018 Model
• Only 19k Miles
• 4.0L V8 Twin-Turbo Engine
• 8-Speed ZF Auto Gearbox
• Full Service History
• Grigio Lynx Paintwork

With incredible performance, a heavenly soundtrack and sharp styling the Urus is undeniably Lamborghini.

The Urus is Lamborghini’s answer to the luxury SUV market, in competition with the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, meaning its premium interior is an outstanding place to be.

Along side its luxurious interior, the Urus isn’t just a pretty face, under the bonnet is a 4.0L twin turbo V8 engine, producing around 650bhp & 850nm of torque.

Just because the Urus is a 5 seater SUV doesn’t mean it’s a slouch. It can launch from 0-62mph in less than 4 seconds! All whilst carrying yourself and 4 extra passengers, making it the fastest Lamborghini to date with more than 2 seats.

ENTER NOW FROM 45p

Earlier this year Sun reader Ian Black, 64, from Devon won a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta after signing up to 7days Performance with the Sun.

He purchased 30 tickets at 79p each to win his dream car.

Sitting behind the wheel of his new motor for the first time, Ian said: “From a young boy to dream about things like this and this is it… dream fulfilled.

“Reality now, this is my car!”

Another happy customer, Kevin Saunders said: “I heard about 7days Performance via a work colleague about a year ago and only really entered a few competitions then stopped.

“But decided to try again last week and only bought 1 ticket for a cash prize and got a call from them on Friday eve to say that I had won £40,000.

“I was absolutely gob smacked and couldn’t believe it. It’s just about sunk in now. Absolutely made my whole year and will definitely be doing more competitions from now on. Thank you!”

Full terms and conditions can be found here

MASTERCHEF’s Gregg Wallace has broken his silence on an investigation into his behaviour to a female BBC colleague.

The TV star spoke out today after The Sun revealed he was accused of making “inappropriate comments” on BBC game show Impossible Celebrities.

Getty Images - Getty

Gregg Wallace has broken his silence on an investigation into his behaviour[/caption]

© Neil Genower

Gregg and his wife Anna married in 2016[/caption]

It was claimed Gregg, 59, took off his top and bragged about romps with his wife Anna Sterpini.

The incident was unreported until an insider contacted The Sun after the BBC’s launch last week of a review into workplace culture.

A source told The Sun last night: “Gregg was accused of making inappropriate comments to a younger, female member of the production team.

“He is said to have been boasting about his sex life with his partner at the time. At one point, Gregg was also accused of taking his top off in front of the woman which felt inappropriate. Gregg appeared to think it was all just banter and is also said to have made some comments in front of the live audience.

“The team working on the show were mortified and told BBC top brass what had happened.”

Speaking on Instagram Live on Monday, Gregg admitted he made comments but insisted that they were not of a sexual nature.

He told his followers: “With reference to what’s in the newspapers, these allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago.

“The allegations were investigations six years ago and my comments were found to be not sexual.

“I repeat, not sexual. Thank you everybody for your time.

“I don’t want anybody to misunderstand this and make it look like I was flirting with somebody. Nobody accused me of that and I never have.”

Speaking about his marriage to Anna, who is 22 youngers, he said: “Something else that I feel very strongly about, strong enough to be on here, nobody six years ago or since has accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody.

“And that’s important to me, and I say this for my wife Anna, who I’ve been true to and madly in love with since the day I met her.”

Last year he was also accused of being rude and insulting to women on Inside The Factory.

At the time, he said he had quit as host of the BBC series to focus on his autistic son, Sid.

A source said: “There are questions to be asked about the decision to allow Gregg to continue on MasterChef despite these previous incidents.

“The BBC say they are keen to clear up issues around workplace culture but have allowed Gregg to remain on a flagship show despite allegations about his conduct.”

Wallace, who has been married four times, was ordered to change his behaviour after the complaint on Impossible Celebrities.

The source continued: “The BBC took immediate action and Gregg was called in to have a meeting with them.

“He made it clear that he didn’t mean anything by what he said but he was read the riot act and told to change his behaviour.”

The latest allegations emerged after the BBC workplace review was announced last Friday.

It follows a series of scandals which have plagued the organisation in recent months.

They include the child sex photos disgrace of former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards and the Strictly Come Dancing bullying probe.

In a statement, the BBC said it was aiming to crack down on “abuse of power”.

BBC Chair Samir Shah said: “I cannot emphasise enough that I am fully committed to tackling inappropriate or abusive behaviour.

“For most of us it is a joy to work for the BBC and that should be the case for everyone.

He is said to have been boasting about his sex life with his partner at the time. At one point, Gregg was also accused of taking his top off in front of the woman which felt inappropriate

Sun source

“Nobody working in the BBC should ever feel fear or worry while working here.

“What is clear to me is that we must ensure the BBC is a safe, secure and welcoming workplace for everyone.”

On the latest allegations, a spokesman for the BBC said: “Whilst we do not comment on individuals, if issues are raised they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately at the time.

“We do not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour and have robust processes in place.” ­

THE dad, uncle and stepmum of schoolgirl Sara Sharif are to appear in court after she was found dead underneath a blanket in bed.

Sara, 10, had suffered “extensive injuries” after “multiple events of violence” when she was discovered at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year.

Central News

Sara Sharif, 10, was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey[/caption]

PA

Court artist sketch of Sara’s dad Urfan Sharif (right) and her uncle Faisal Malik, appearing via video-link at the Old Bailey last year[/caption]

PA

Court artist of Sara’s stepmum Beinash Batool appearing via video-link at the same court[/caption]

Her dad Urfan, 42, stepmum, Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 28, will appear at the Old Bailey today charged with her murder.

Sara’s dad Urfan, her stepmum Beinash and her uncle Faisal Malik will appear at the Old Bailey today charged with her murder.

All three deny murder and a charge of causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16, 2022, and August 9, 2023.

It comes after police launched an investigation after Sara’s body was found under a blanket in a bunk bed at her home last summer.

Cops were alerted after receiving a call from Pakistan, which lasted eight minutes and 34 seconds, at 2.47am on August 10.

Officers subsequently arrived at the house and tragically found Sara lying face up and fully clothed in an upstairs room.

It is alleged she died as a result of third-party involvement, the prosecution argues.

The three defendants were arrested on in September last year at Gatwick Airport as they disembarked a flight from Dubai.

The trial before Mr Justice Cavanagh is expected to go on until December 13.

Central News

Sara was found underneath a blanket in a bunk bed[/caption]

REDDIT is experiencing outages with thousands of customers unable to access the website. 

According to Downdetector, nearly 2,000 users are reporting issues.

However, Reddit’s status page is showing there are no problems with the site, leading to confusion and frustration among users.

One said: “I thought I was the only one [experiencing problems] since redditstatus.com didn’t show any issues.”

Follow our live blog below for all the latest updates…

DETROIT LIONS star Aidan Hutchinson suffered a horror injury that left players on both teams distraught and TV producers axing a replay.

The Dallas Cowboys hosted the Lions on Sunday, with the visitors winning 47-9.

AP

Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg when trying to tackle Dak Prescott[/caption]

AP

The Lions’ star appeared to snap his leg just above his ankle[/caption]

AP

The game was delayed by ten minutes as he received treatment[/caption]

AP

Players look worried for him and seemed emotional[/caption]

But it was not all smiles for coach Mike McCarthy as defensive end Hutchinson sustained a broken leg.

The 24-year-old suffered the injury in the third quarter when trying to tackle Dak Prescott.

His leg snapped just above the ankle after he collided with team-mate Alim McNeill while dragging the Cowboys quarterback to the deck.

Hutchinson grimaced in severe pain as medics rushed onto the field.

The match was delayed by ten minutes as he received treatment.

During the break in play, Fox Sports decided not to show any replays of the incident.

The commentator Kevin Burkhardt said: “If you just tuned in, the score doesn’t matter.

“That’s Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions best defensive player who is laying on the ground, suffered a gruesome leg injury. We’re not showing it. I just hope he’s OK.”

Such was the other players’ worry, many looked emotional for the NFL‘s sack leader as he was carted off.

Lions ace Terrion Arnold and Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb were both seen taking a knee for him.

Hutchinson underwent immediate surgery in a Dallas hospital and will stay there for the time being.

Team-mate David Montgomery said: “Aidan is definitely the heartbeat of our team and that defense.”

Brian Branch added: “We know how much Hutch means to the team, the defense alone, he is the tone setter.

“To see him go down like that, you don’t wish that on none of us. We had to do it for Hutch.”

Getty

Aidan Hutchinson’s season could now be over[/caption]

THE race to replace the International Space Station (ISS) is rapidly gaining momentum as the orbital outpost nears its retirement date.

In just seven years, Nasa hopes to have a fully fledged replacement to the off-planet lab that has served space science since 1998.

Vast

The X-shaped orbital habitation set-up could be fully operational in orbit by 2028, the firm claims[/caption]

Vast

Between 2030 and 2032, Vast has plans to add a larger 7m diameter core module and four more Haven-2 modules to create a mega space-based hub[/caption]

Vast

The first iteration of the space station could be fully operational in orbit by 2028, the firm claims[/caption]

Vast

The space station is made up of multiple modules – meaning it is somewhat customisable[/caption]

And several companies are gunning for the chance to have their proposals selected by Nasa, and build the successor.

California-headquartered Vast is just one of those companies, having put forward a new ISS-successor, dubbed the Haven-2, at today’s International Astronautical Congress.

The X-shaped orbital habitation hub boasts a robotic arm for deliveries, berthing capabilities for visiting vehicles, as well as giant 1.1metre dome windows to soak in the breathtaking views.

The first iteration of the space station could be fully operational in orbit by 2028, the firm claims.

That’s if Nasa chooses the proposal in 2026, as part of its phase 2 selection for the Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) programme.

“Our focus this decade is to win the Nasa Commercial LEO Destination contract and build the successor to the International Space Station,” Max Haot, Vast CEO, said in a statement.

“To achieve this, we will first demonstrate our capability by building and operating the world’s first commercial space station, Haven-1, which is set to launch in 2025.”

Between 2030 and 2032, Vast has plans to add a larger 7m diameter core module and four more Haven-2 modules to create a mega space-based hub.

Once this work is complete, astronauts aboard the Haven-2 will enjoy 16 windows, more than double the amount on the ISS.

The company plans to use the significant private investment it has received for the incredibly luxurious commercial space station concept, the Haven-1, it revealed last week as the building blocks for Haven-2.

The Haven-1 is kitted out with Japandi-style interior design, online communication tech to phone home, and even remedies poor sleeping arrangements for astronauts – or astrotourists.

But the Haven-2 will be about 5metres longer, doubling the living space.

It will also incorporate more lab equipment and in-space manufacturing facilities to meet Nasa’s requirements.

Andrew Feustel, a Nasa astronaut for over 23 years, has advised Vast on the next-generation of astronauts that will be required for comfortable, long periods in space.

Now more countries than ever are going to space, be it via astronauts or spacecraft, the new space station will have to reflect that.

“Haven-2 is being designed with compatibility in mind, ensuring that international partners can integrate seamlessly into this next-generation platform,” said Feustel.

“This vision of global cooperation in space will create opportunities for scientific and technological advancements, benefiting new and current sovereign partners as well as industries around the world.”

The Haven-2 also has the space to offer an entire module or a specific laboratory facility to international partners.