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).

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.

“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.