Dubai's first Martian Colony will be on Earth, in Dubai

By Matthew Griffin Industrial Revolution 19th October 2017

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Dubai wants to operate a Martian colony on Mars before 2117, and now they’re planning a dress rehearsal on Earth

Just a few months on from announcing they were going to, one day, build their own colony on Mars by 2117, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced plans to build a model of their proposed hypothetical city here on Earth and they’ve dubbed it, naturally, Mars Space City (MSC).

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The MSC project, designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, will cost $140 million and become a “viable and realistic model,” according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and it will cover 1.9 million square feet, which will make it the largest Mars simulation in existence when it’s complete.

According to a government press release there will be a whole host of scientific operations taking place inside the MSC that will range from labs researching food, energy and water, to agricultural testing and studies about food security. Parts of the MSC will also be open to the public, including a space museum, and the walls of this museum, according to the press release, will feature 3D Printed designs using sand from the Emirati desert.

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“The UAE seeks to establish international efforts to develop technologies that benefit humankind,” Sheikh Mohammed said, “and establish the foundation of a better future for more generations to come. We also want to consolidate the passion for leadership in science in the UAE, contributing to improving life on earth and to developing innovative solutions to many of our global challenges.”

No timetable was set for the MSC but, knowing Dubai it probably won’t be too long before we see glittering glass domes emerging from the desert sands, and who knows, unlike any other museum of its kind, you might even be able to take one of Dubai’s Sky Taxi’s to visit it.

Matthew Griffin / About Author

Described by NASA as a "Walking Encyclopaedia of the Future" and one of the world’s most in demand keynote speakers Matthew Griffin, Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm, is a multi-award winning Futurist and strategic foresight expert, author, lecturer, mentor, podcast and YouTube host.

With a distinguished career running global business units at Atos, EMC, and IBM today Matthew helps leaders and titans of industry from all over the world explore the impact of the inter sections of technology, culture, and leadership, then helps them create high performance organisations that can continuously disrupt, outpace, and outthink their competition.

15 times author of the hit series the Codex of the Future series Matthew's ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends on global business, culture, and society has earned him a powerful reputation and a roster of clients that include royal households, world leaders across the G7, G20, and G77, and many of the world's most recognised and exceptional organisations including ABB, Accenture, ABN Amro, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi Group, Coca Cola, Deloitte, Dentons, Disney, Dow, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Microsoft, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Nokia, Paramount, PepsiCo, PWC, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, T-Mobile, UBS, Visa, WIRED, WPP and hundreds of others.

Matthew is regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, and his mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.