The United Arab Emirates plan to build a city on Mars by the year 2117, with its blueprint having been shared by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai and the vice-president of the UAE, said in a statement: “Human ambitions have no limits, and whoever looks into the scientific breakthroughs in the current century believes that human abilities can realize the most important human dream.” Dubai’s revenue from its oil and gas industries has led to it becoming a major financial force, with it being home to extravagant structures such as the world’s tallest building. But now Sheihk Mohammed wants Dubai and the rest of the UAE to be at the forefront of the colonization of Mars, with a series of tweets revealing the planned vision for the city.
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Mohammed stated that the project is called “Mars 2117,” and will use “international cooperation” in order to “create a mini-city and community on Mars.” He added: “[The project is] a seed we are sowing today to reap the fruit of new generations led by a passion for science and advancing human knowledge.”
Take a look at the series of images he posted to Twitter below:
The project, to be named "Mars 2117", integrates a vision to create a mini-city and community on Mars involving international cooperation. pic.twitter.com/v27jA3K3pS
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 14, 2017
We aspire in the coming century to develop science, technology and our youth's passion for knowledge. This project is driven by that vision. pic.twitter.com/4QibJjtiM2
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 14, 2017
The "Mars 2117" project will develop an Emirati and international team of scientists to push the human exploration of Mars in years to come. pic.twitter.com/5ujxvyC8As
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 14, 2017
"Mars 2117" is a seed we are sowing today to reap the fruit of new generations led by a passion for science and advancing human knowledge. pic.twitter.com/IExtnpiO2B
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 14, 2017
SpaceX founder Elon Musk has previously said that he is planning a manned mission to Mars that will take place by 2022, with his plan being to lay down the foundations for an eventual colonization of the planet. The UAE could work in conjunction with Musk as part of its international efforts to travel to the red planet.
According to CNBC (via NDTV), UAE engineers presented a concept city “about the size of Chicago” that guests at Dubai’s World Government Summit could explore, with the project expanding to include the creation of an Emirati scientific team, potentially employing scientists from different countries. This team would research into creating faster transportation to and from the planet, along with conceptualizing the appearance of the settlement along with making it sustainable.
The UAE set up its space agency in 2014, with it having built relationships with Britain and France’s agencies with a plan to send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2021.
